Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations revoke and remake the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, as amended by S.R. 2002 No. 259, S.R. 2003 No. 244 and S.R. 2010 No. 339.

The Regulations implement Community legislation which had previously been implemented in the Regulations mentioned above. The Community legislation which these Regulations continue to implement is—

(a)

Council Directive 1998/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes (O.J. No. L221, 8.8.98, p. 23);

(b)

Council Directive 1999/74/EC (O.J. No. L 203, 3.8.99, p. 53), laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens, in establishments with 350 or more laying hens;

(c)

Council Directive 2007/43/EC laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production (O.J. No. L 182, 12.7.07, p. 19);

(d)

Council Directive 2008/119/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves (Codified version) (O.J. No. L 10, 15.1.2009); and

(e)

Council Directive 2008/120/EC of 18 December 2008 laying down minimum standards for the protection of pigs (Codified version) (O.J. No. L 47, 18.2.2009).

The Regulations (and the Community legislation which they implement) reflect the obligations contained in the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes of 10th March 1976, as read with the Protocol of Amendment to the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes of 6th February 1992.

The Regulations apply to farmed animals (subject to certain limited exceptions).

Regulation 3 provides that owners and keepers of animals kept for farming purposes must take reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of animals in their care and to prevent them any unnecessary pain, suffering or injury.

Regulation 4 makes provision for specific additional requirements as to the conditions in which poultry, laying hens, conventionally reared meat chickens, calves, cattle, pigs or rabbits are bred or kept.

Regulation 5 contains provisions to ensure that those in charge of animals have access to and are acquainted with a copy of the relevant welfare code of practice issued under section 16 of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and are acquainted with those codes of practice.

Regulation 6 specifies the offences in the Regulations.

Regulation 7 prescribes the penalties for a person guilty of an offence. The maximum penalty on summary conviction is 6 months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently, £5000) or both.

Schedule 1 specifies the general conditions under which all farmed animals shall be kept.

Schedules 2 to 9 specify the additional requirements required for keeping poultry, laying hens, conventionally reared meat chickens, calves, cattle, pigs or rabbits.