Animal Health Act 1981

29 Control of zoonoses

(1) This section shall have effect with a view to reducing the risk to human health from any disease of, or organism carried in, animals ; and the Ministers may by order designate any such disease or organism which in their opinion constitutes such a risk as is mentioned in this subsection.

In this section " disease " is not restricted by its definition in this Act.

(2) Where any disease or organism is for the time being designated under this section, the Ministers may by order—

(a) provide for any provision of this Act which has effect in relation to the disease to have that effect in relation to the disease so designated subject to such modifications as may be specified in the order;

(b) apply any provision of this Act, subject to any modifications so specified, in relation to the presence of the organism in an animal as if the presence of the organism were a disease to which this Act applied.

(3) The Ministers may by order make provision for requiring a person who, in such circumstances as are specified by the order, knows or has reason to suspect that an animal of such description as is specified in the order is or was—

(a) affected with a disease designated under this section, or

(b) a carrier of an organism so designated,

to furnish to such person and in such form and within such period as are specified in the order such information relating to the animal as is so specified.