Animal Health Act 1981

87 Meaning of " animals " and " poultry "

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, " animals " means—

(a) cattle, sheep and goats, and

(b) all other ruminating animals and swine,

subject to subsections (2) and (3) below.

(2) The Ministers may by order for all or any of the purposes of this Act extend the definition of " animals" in subsection (1) above so that it shall for those or any of those purposes comprise—

(a) any kind of mammal except man ; and

(b) any kind of four-footed beast which is not a mammal.

(3) The Ministers may by order for all or any of the purposes of this Act (except so far as it relates to disease) extend the definition of "animals" in subsection (1) so that it shall for those or any of those purposes comprise—

(a) fish, reptiles, crustaceans, or

(b) other cold-blooded creatures of any species,

not being creatures in respect of which an order can be made under subsection (2) above.

(4) In this Act, subject to subsection (5) below and unless the context otherwise requires, " poultry " means birds of the following species—

(a) domestic fowls, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea-fowls and pigeons, and

(b) pheasants and partridges,

and subject to the provisions mentioned below, this Act has effect in relation to poultry as it has effect in relation to animals.

The provisions of this Act referred to above are sections 7(2), 15(5), 31 and paragraph 5 of Schedule 3, and sections 32(4) and 64.

(5) The Ministers may by order for all or any of the purposes of this Act, in so far as it applies to poultry—

(a) extend the definition of "poultry " in subsection (4) above so that it shall for those or any of those purposes comprise any other species of bird ; or

(b) restrict that definition so that it shall for those or any of those purposes exclude any of the species of bird mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (4).