November 6, 2024 | 06:14 GMT +7
November 6, 2024 | 06:14 GMT +7
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People in Great Britain who keep chickens in their back garden will have to register them with the government under proposed new rules to crack down on bird flu.
While those who own 50 or more birds, such as chicken farmers, have to register their flock with the government, currently people who have birds for their own supply of eggs, or as pets, do not.
Under the proposed new rules, being consulted on by government, bird owners would also be required to update their information on an annual basis. They would have to provide information including their contact details, the location of where the birds are kept and details of the species, number and their use.
Budgie-owners, however, will not be affected. The law would apply to people who have back yard chickens, birds of prey and pigeon fanciers, but would not affect pet birds always kept inside a domestic dwelling, such as a parrot or budgie kept in a cage that never leaves the property other than to see the vet or for another short-term period.
In a joint statement, the chief veterinary officers from England, Scotland and Wales said: “These proposals will enable us to have a full picture of the number and location of birds kept across Great Britain and make it easier to track and manage the spread of avian disease. This information will also help inform future risk assessments and maintain our commitment to continually building our extensive avian influenza research portfolio.”
Officials said a new register system could help owners, as by alerting the Animal and Plant Health Agency about their flocks, they would receive important updates such as any local avian influenza outbreaks and information on biosecurity rules to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian influenza.
The current bird flu epidemic is caused by the H5N1 strain of virus, which originated in intensive poultry farms in Asia and has since spread around the world. In Britain, the disease has had an increasing impact on wild birds over the past two years, with 65 species affected.
(The Guardian)
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