The Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019

Examining relevant organisms and taking samples

25.—(1) An enforcement officer may, for the purpose of ascertaining whether an offence under this Order is being or has been committed—

(a) require that any relevant organism in the possession of any person is made available for examination by the enforcement officer;

(b) in order to determine the identity or ancestry of any relevant organism, require the taking of a sample of that relevant organism, provided that—

(i) where the sample is to be taken from a live animal—

(aa) it is taken by a registered veterinary surgeon; and

(bb) the taking of the sample will not cause any avoidable pain, distress or suffering; and

(ii) where the sample is to be taken from a live plant or fungus, the taking of the sample will not cause lasting harm to the plant or fungus.

(2) An enforcement officer may destroy or otherwise dispose of any sample taken under this article when the sample is no longer required.

(3) In this article, “sample” means a sample of blood, tissue or other biological material.