Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Importation

15.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a person shall not import any animal directly from a place outside the European Communities.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall prevent the import of any animals specified in Schedule 1 to the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order (Northern Ireland) 1977(1) at a place permitted under that Order.

(3) A person shall not import any animal which originated outside the European Communities from a member State, Great Britain, any of the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man either for transport to a place in the United Kingdom or for re-export to another member State unless –

(a) all the checks required under Council Directive 91/496/EEC have been carried out in relation to those animals at a border inspection post and they are accompanied by the certificate of examination and the authenticated copy of the original health certificate issued at the border inspection post under Article 7(1) of that Directive; or

(b) in the case of animals specified in Schedule 1 to the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order (Northern Ireland) 1977, the conditions of that Order have been complied with.

(4) A person shall not import any animal which originated outside the European Communities from a member State, Great Britain, any of the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for re-export outside the European Community either directly or indirectly unless such transit has been previously authorised in writing by the Department and the conditions in Article 9 of Council Directive 91/496/EEC have been complied with.

(5) A person shall not import from a member State, Great Britain, any of the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man any animal to which –

(a) an instrument in Part II of Schedule 4 applies unless it complies with the relevant provisions of that instrument and any additional requirements specified in that part; and

(b) in accordance with the provisions of any additional animal health requirements of legislation regulating imports into Northern Ireland.

(6) If an animal is imported for slaughter, it must be taken directly to a slaughterhouse and slaughtered without delay. If it is not so slaughtered, an inspector may by notice served on the importer, his representative or person in charge of the animal require the animal to be slaughtered within such period and at such place as may be specified in the notice.

(7) In the event of a notice under paragraph (5) not being complied with an inspector may seize or may cause to be seized any animal to which it relates and arrange for the requirements of the notice to be complied with.

(1)

S.R. 1977 No. 113 as amended by S.R. 1977 No. 256, S.R. 1994 No. 402 and S.R. 2000 No. 10