Animal Health and Welfare Enforcement

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Animal Health and Welfare Enforcement

• Kevin P. Jones
• Senior Trading Standards Officer (Commerce)
• 19 December 2007

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What we do

• Wrexham County Borough Council has a duty to-
• Protect the welfare of animals on farm, in
  transit and at markets
• Prevent, control and eradicate animal diseases
• Ensure that animal movements can be traced to
  safeguard animal health from transmitted disease

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Where we work

• Animal Health and Welfare conduct routine visits
  to-
• Farms
• Markets
• Collection centres
• Abattoirs
• Export assembly centres
• Other animal gatherings e.g. shows, haulage firms
  and hunt kennels
• These visits are conducted not only to ensure
  compliance with the law but also offer advice on
  current and new legislation.

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On the Farm

• All farmers have a duty to maintain records and
  correctly identify their livestock to ensure
  traceability in the event of a disease outbreak.
  Inspectors visit farms and check these records
  and relevant documents.
• During the visit they also check that the
  livestock is healthy, disease free and correctly
  identified. As important food producers farms
  are also checked to ensure that they produce food
  hygienically and animal feedstuffs are safe to
  feed to livestock.

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Markets Abattoirs Collection Centres

• Animal Health and Welfare Inspectors are
  required to regularly attend markets, abattoirs
  and collection centres to-
• Ensure that animals are fit to be there,
  identified correctly, have correct documentation
  and are competently handled.
• Ensure that premises and vehicles are fit for
  purpose and that correct cleansing and
  disinfection is implemented to minimise disease
  risk.

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During Transportation

• There are strict rules detailing how animals can
  be transported. To ensure compliance with these
  rules Inspectors conduct routine checks at
  markets, collection centres, abattoirs and farms.
  Roadside checks are carried out with the Police.

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Animal Cruelty

• If cruelty is suspected the Council has a duty
  to investigate complaints from members of the
  public and/or animal welfare organisations
  regarding the welfare of livestock.
• When an inspector suspects an animal has been
  caused unnecessary suffering they will ask a
  veterinary surgeon employed by the Animal Health
  Agency to examine the animal.
• If suffering has been caused the Council may
  decide to prosecute, this can lead to a fine
  and/or prison sentence and even a ban from
  keeping animals.

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Disease Control

• When disease is suspected all local authorities
  must have contingency plans to deal with the
  outbreak of diseases such as Foot and Mouth,
  Rabies and Avian Influenza. In Wales, local
  authorities have worked together to produce model
  plans to ensure a consistent approach.

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Working Together

• In order to promote high standards in animal
  health and welfare. Inspectors work closely with
  other agencies such as Animal Health Agency,
  Welsh Assembly Government, RSPCA, Environment
  Agency and Farming Unions, and are constantly
  reviewing these relationships to ease the
  regulatory burden on livestock keepers.

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Targeted Enforcement Activity

• Inspections the frequency of an inspection is
  be determined by the risk factor of the premises.
  The risk score is calculated from the species
  and number of livestock kept, business
  classification and levels of compliance with
  legislation. This risk score will determines how
  often a premises is inspected.
• High risk premises annual inspection
• Medium risk premises once every two years
• Low risk premises once every five years
• Livestock holdings that have not already had a
  visit will be a priority for inspection.

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Enforcement

• If legislative breaches are found during
  inspection they are dealt with either by advice,
  a re-visit, a warning or in severe or persistent
  cases, prosecution. In welfare matters
  inspectors can also issue improvement notices
  requiring certain action to be taken by a keeper.
• Inspectors are also obliged to pass on serious
  breaches of cross compliance rules to the Welsh
  Assembly Government for their further action.
  This ca affect the single farm payment.

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Education

• Prosecution is seen to be the last resort.
  Prosecution or severe enforcement penalties are
  meant to be reserved for those who deliberately
  flout the law. Working with the agricultural
  industry and developing education and advice
  initiatives is seen to be the best way to secure
  compliance across all sectors.

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Local Initiatives

• One Stop Shop this is a dedicated phone line
  for the agricultural industry in the Wrexham
  County Borough Council area. The industry can
  phone one number and receive comprehensive advice
  and assistance from members of the animal health
  team. This was particularly useful in the recent
  Foot and Mouth and Bluetongue outbreaks.
  Telephone [phone].
• Wrexham Animal Health Enforcement Forum this is
  a forum that meets twice yearly and members
  include other enforcement agencies,
  representatives of farming unions, local farmers,
  livestock keepers and provides up to date
  information on the latest developments and issues
  facing the industry and enforcers.
• Farming Standards Newsletter twice yearly
  newsletter which goes out to all agricultural
  holdings in Wrexham County Borough Council
  keeping them up to date on the latest
  developments and sources of information.

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Facts and Figures

• Senior Enforcement Officer
• Enforcement Officer
• Enforcement Support Officer
• Technical Support Officer
• Local Authority Profile
• 898 Livestock premises
• 3 Abattoirs
• 4 Knackers/Hunt Kennels
• 38 Hauliers
• 700 Feed Hygiene premises

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Enforcement Activities

• So far this year
• 304 Business Advice
• 123 Warnings
• 7 Prosecutions
• 4 Cautions

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Current Issues

• Bluetongue in Europe

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Current Issues

• Bluetongue in the UK

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Current Issues

• Avian Influenza

Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bangladesh, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia,
Cameroon, Canada, China, Côte dIvoire (Ivory
Coast), Croatia, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Georgia, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kuwait, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mongolia,
Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine Auton.
Territories, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Serbia Montenegro, South Africa, South Korea,
Sudan, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey,
Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vietnam. Greece,
Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Germany,
France, Slovakia, Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Czech
Republic and UK) and in domestic poultry in 6
Member States (in chronological order France,
Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, United Kingdom
and the Czech Republic).
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Current Issues

• Foot and Mouth
• On Farm Hygiene Controls
• Transport
• Bovine TB
• Animal By Products
• Animal Welfare
• Resource Issues
• Service Reviews

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Recent Activities
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Recent Activities
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Recent Activities
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Recent Activities
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Recent Activities
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Recent Activities
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Recent Activities
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Recent Activities
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Recent Activities