Section 20 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”) provides that it is an offence for a person to carry out a prohibited procedure on a protected animal, unless the procedure is carried out for the purpose of medical treatment of the animal or is specified in regulations. The Prohibited Procedures on Protected Animals (Exemptions) (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (“the principal Regulations”) specify procedures which are not carried out for the purpose of medical treatment of an animal and to which section 20 of the 2006 Act does not apply.

These Regulations amend the principal Regulations to allow the ear tagging of bovine animals, pigs, sheep, goats and deer for the purpose of screening or routine or random testing for disease.

A business and regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the costs of business, charities or the voluntary sector.