Animal Health Act 1981 facts for kids
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| Long title | An Act to consolidate the Diseases of Animals Act 1935, the Diseases of Animals Act 1950, the Ponies Act 1969, the Rabies Act 1974, the Diseases of Animals Act 1975, and certain related enactments. |
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| Citation | 1981 c. 22 |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 11 June 1981 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by |
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Status: Current legislation
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Animal Health Act 1981 is an important law in the UK. It gives the government special powers. These powers help to control outbreaks of serious animal diseases.
This law is mainly used for diseases like avian influenza (bird flu) and Newcastle disease (another sickness affecting birds). It was later updated to include more powers.
Contents
What is the Animal Health Act?
The Animal Health Act 1981 is a law passed by the UK Parliament. It helps the government manage and stop the spread of animal diseases. This is important for keeping farms and animals healthy.
Why was this law created?
This Act was made to bring together several older laws about animal health. It was updated in 2002. This update gave the government more power to deal with foot and mouth disease. This disease caused big problems for farms in 2001. That was when Tony Blair was the Prime Minister.
What does the Act allow the government to do?
The Animal Health Act gives the government several key powers. These powers help them protect animals and prevent diseases from spreading widely.
Controlling sick birds
- The Act allows the government to order the killing of poultry (like chickens or turkeys). This includes birds that are sick, suspected of being sick, or have been near sick birds. It also covers birds that need to be killed to stop a disease from spreading.
- If healthy birds are killed to stop a disease, their owners must be paid fairly. This is called compensation.
Planning for outbreaks
- Before ordering a large-scale killing of animals, the government must publish a plan. This plan explains why they are doing it.
- They must also consider using emergency vaccinations first. If they decide not to vaccinate, they need to explain why.
Checking for diseases
- Animal doctors, called veterinary inspectors, have the power to enter farms. They can check if animals have diseases. They can also look for signs of past infections or disease-causing germs.
Giving advice and making plans
- The government must publish advice on "biosecurity." This means giving tips on how to keep farms clean and prevent diseases.
- They also need to create and regularly check a national plan. This plan outlines what to do if a major animal disease outbreak happens.
