Search Legislation

Advanced Search

The Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

Changes to legislation:

The Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 18 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the affected provisions when you open the content using the Table of Contents below.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to :

  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART I INTRODUCTORY

    1. 1.Title and commencement

    2. 2.Interpretation

  3. PART II DISEASES OF ANIMALS AND POULTRY

    1. Eradication of disease

      1. 3.Expenditure for the eradication of diseases

      2. 4.Eradication areas and attested areas

      3. 4A.Biosecurity guidance

      4. 4B.Biosecurity compliance

      5. 5.Prevention or checking of disease

      6. 5A.Deliberate infection

      7. 5B.Deliberate infection: disqualification

      8. 6.Seizure and destruction of carcases, etc., liable to spread disease

      9. 7.Control of zoonoses

      10. 8.Animal or poultry health schemes

      11. 8A.Control of vaccines

      12. 9.Power to obtain information for the purpose of Article 3

    2. Separation and treatment of diseased animals and poultry and notice of disease

      1. 10.Separation of diseased animals and poultry and notice of disease

      2. 11.Treatment of animals or poultry

    3. Infected places and areas

      1. 12.General provisions as to infected places and areas

      2. 13.Power to destroy wild life

      3. 14.Orders relating to infected places and areas

      4. 15.Power to exclude strangers

    4. Slaughter of diseased and suspected animals and poultry

      1. 16.Slaughter of diseased and suspected animals and poultry

      2. 16A.Slaughter of animals and poultry treated with serum or vaccine

      3. 17.Additional officers and expenses for purposes of slaughter

      4. 18.General provisions relative to slaughter and compensation

    5. Regulation of movement of animals and poultry, etc.

      1. 19.Regulation of movement of animals and poultry, etc.

      2. 19A.Registration and approval of livestock dealers

      3. 20.Disease found in animals in transit

      4. 21.Protection of animals and poultry from suffering, etc.

      5. 22.Provision of water and food at railway stations

      6. 23.Carriage of animals and poultry by sea or air

      7. 23A.Animal welfare in exportation

    6. Importation, etc.

      1. 24.Orders prohibiting import of animals, etc.

      2. Arts. 25‐28 rep. by 1984 NI 2

      3. 29.Regulation of ports, aerodromes, landing places and imported animals, poultry, etc.

      4. 30.Orders prohibiting import of poultry and eggs

      5. 31.Compensation not payable for animals temporarily in Northern Ireland for quarantine purposes

      6. 32.Export of animals and poultry

  4. PART 2A TRANSMISSIBLE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHIES

    1. Livestock genotypes

      1. 32A.Power of Department to specify susceptible livestock genotypes

      2. 32B.Identification of genetically susceptible livestock

    2. Restriction notice

      1. 32C.Restrictions on breeding

      2. 32D.Appeal

    3. Regulation of movement of livestock

      1. 32E.Regulation of movement of susceptible livestock

    4. Enforcement

      1. 32F.Department's powers of enforcement

      2. 32G.Offence

    5. Powers of slaughter

      1. 32H.Powers of slaughter: TSE

      2. 32I.Compensation

      3. 32J.Interpretation

  5. PART III RESTRICTIONS ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN SUBSTANCES TO ANIMALS OR POULTRY

    1. 33.Prohibition of unauthorised possession or administration of scheduled substances

    2. 34.Records and returns

    3. 35.Offences under Part III

    4. 36.Powers of entry, examination and seizure

    5. 37.Temporary prohibitions on disposal of certain animals

    6. 38.Interpretation of Part III

  6. PART IV MISCELLANEOUS AND GENERAL

    1. Provisions as to district councils

      1. 39.Provision of wharves, etc.

      2. 40.Burial of carcases

      3. 41.Reports for Department

    2. Police

      1. 42.Functions of constables

    3. General administrative provisions

      1. 43.Agricultural marketing boards to furnish information to the Department

      2. 44.Records and returns

      3. 45.Seizure of records

      4. 46.General powers of inspectors

      5. 46A.Powers of inspectors relating to assimilated law or Protocol obligations

      6. 46B.Powers of entry: warrants

      7. 46C.Powers of entry: supplementary provisions

      8. 46D.Powers of entry under warrant: code of practice

      9. 47.Powers of entry, etc., in connection with Article 13

      10. 47A.Power to inspect imports

      11. 48.Power to detain vessels and aircraft

      12. 48A.Examination, cleansing and disinfection of vehicles

      13. 49.Exemption from stamp duty and fees

      14. 50.Payment of fees and expenses

      15. 51.Evidence and service of instruments

    4. Offences and legal proceedings

      1. 52.Offences

      2. 53.Offences in respect of Article 3

      3. 54.Defences and evidence

      4. 55.Extension of time for bringing summary proceedings

      5. 56.Venue

      6. 57.Proceedings under Customs Acts for unlawful landing or shipping

    5. Payment of compensation, etc., and liabilities of persons other than owners

      1. 58.Persons to whom compensation, etc., may be paid and liabilities of persons other than owners

    6. Functions of the Department

      1. 59.Yearly return by Department

      2. 60.General power to make orders

    7. Supplemental

      1. 61.Orders

      2. 62.Amendments, transitional provisions and repeals

  7. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      DEFINITIONS

      1. PART I ANIMALS

        1. 1.All species of the following orders of mammals except Homo sapiens (man)—

        2. 1.Chiroptera.

        3. 2.Carnivora.

        4. 3.Dermoptera.

        5. 4.Edentata.

        6. 5.Hyracoidea.

        7. 6.Insectivora.

        8. 7.Lagomorpha.

        9. 8.Marsupialia.

        10. 9.Primates.

        11. 10.Rodentia.

        12. 11.Artiodactyla.

        13. 12.Monotremata.

        14. 13.Perissodactyla.

        15. 14.Pholidota.

        16. 15.Proboscidea.

        17. 16.Tubulidentata.

      2. PART II POULTRY

        1. Birds belonging to the following orders—

        2. Birds belonging to the following orders—

        3. 1.Anseriformes (including swans, geese and ducks).

        4. 2.Apodiformes (including swifts and humming birds).

        5. 3.Apterygiformes (kiwis).

        6. 4.Caprimulgiformes (including nightjars).

        7. 5.Casuariiformes (including emus and cassowaries).

        8. 6.Charadriiformes (including waders, gulls and snipes).

        9. 7.Ciconiiformes (including storks and flamingoes).

        10. 8.Coliiformes (mousebirds).

        11. 9.Columbiformes (including pigeons and doves).

        12. 10.Coraciiformes (including kingfishers and hornbills).

        13. 11.Cuculiformes (including cuckoos).

        14. 12.Falconiformes (including hawks and eagles).

        15. 13.Galliformes (including fowls, turkeys, pheasants, partridges and quails).

        16. 14.Gaviiformes (divers).

        17. 15.Gruiformes (including cranes).

        18. 16.Passeriformes (including sparrows, finches and myna birds).

        19. 17.Pelecaniformes (including pelicans).

        20. 18.Piciformes (including toucans and woodpeckers).

        21. 19.Podicipitiformes (grebes).

        22. 20.Procellariiformes (including petrels and albatrosses).

        23. 21.Psittaciformes (including parrots, budgerigars, love-birds, macaws and cockatoos).

        24. 22.Rheiformes (rheas).

        25. 23.Strigiformes (owls).

        26. 24.Struthioniformes (ostriches).

        27. 25.Sphenisciformes (penguins).

        28. 26.Tinamiformes (tinamous).

        29. 27.Trogoniformes (trogons).

      3. PART III DISEASES OF ANIMALS

        1. 1.Rinderpest (otherwise known as cattle plague).

        2. 2.Contagious pleuro-pneumonia (otherwise known as pleuro-pneumonia).

        3. 3.Foot-and-mouth disease.

        4. 4.Bovine tuberculosis.

        5. 5.Anthrax.

        6. 6.Warble fly infestation.

        7. 7.Brucellosis.

        8. 8.Bovine leucosis.

        9. 9.Johne's disease.

        10. 10.Lumpy skin disease.

        11. 11.Blue tongue.

        12. 12.Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis.

        13. 13.Sheep pox.

        14. 14.Sheep scab.

        15. 15.Teschen disease.

        16. 16.Swine fever.

        17. 17.African swine fever.

        18. 18.Atrophic rhinitis.

        19. 19.Swine vesicular disease.

        20. 20.Vesicular exanthema.

        21. 21.African horse sickness.

        22. 22.Infectious equine anaemia.

        23. 23.Dourine.

        24. 24.Equine encephalomyelitis.

        25. 25.Glanders.

        26. 26.Transmissible gastro-enteritis.

        27. 27.Rabies.

        28. 28.Influenza A infection.

        29. 29.Trichinosis.

        30. Entry rep. by SR 1985/64

        31. Entry rep. by SR 1985/64

        32. 31.Epizootic lymphangitis.

        33. 32.Aujeszky's disease.

        34. 33.Visna-Maedi complex.

        35. 34.Jaagsiekte complex.

        36. 35.Contagious equine metritis.

        37. 36.Bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

        38. 37.Blue eared pig disease.

        39. 38.Vesicular stomatitis.

        40. 39.Peste des petits ruminants.

        41. 40.Rift valley fever.

        42. 41.Viral haemorrhagic disease.

        43. 42.Goat pox.

        44. 43.Scrapie.

        45. 44.Contagious agalactia.

        46. 45.Porcine respiratory corona virus.

        47. 46.Epizootic haemorrhagic disease.

        48. 47.Spongiform encephalopathy.

        49. 48.Caseous lymphadenitis.

        50. 49.Equine viral arteritis.

        51. Article 10(1) (separation of diseased animals and notice of disease) shall not apply in the

        52. Article 10(1) (separation of diseased animals and notice of disease) shall not apply in the

      4. PART IV DISEASES OF POULTRY

        1. 1.Newcastle disease.

        2. 2.Fowl cholera.

        3. 3.Infectious bronchitis.

        4. 4.Infectious laryngo-tracheitis.

        5. 5.Fowl pox.

        6. 6.Ornithosis (including psittacosis).

        7. 7.Arizona disease.

        8. 8.Avian influenza.

        9. 9.Paramyxovirus 1 infection in pigeons.

        10. 10.Avian leucosis.

        11. 11.Marek's disease.

        12. 12.Goose hepatitis.

        13. 13.Infectious avian encephalomyelitis.

        14. 14.Mycoplasmosis.

        15. 15.Tuberculosis.

        16. 16.Duck plague (herpes virus infection).

        17. 17.Duck viral hepatitis.

        18. 18.Duck septicaemia (anatipestifer infection).

        19. 19.Infectious bursal disease (gumboro disease).

        20. 20.Salmonellosis.

        21. 21.Avian rhinotracheitis.

        22. 22.Spongiform encephalopathy.

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT IN RELATION TO SLAUGHTER

      1. PART I POWER TO SLAUGHTER

        1. 1.Cattle Plague:

        2. 2.Pleuro-pneumonia:

        3. 3.Foot-and-mouth Disease:

        4. 3A.This paragraph applies to any premises which are declared by the Department to be infected

        5. 3B.The Department may cause to be slaughtered any animal which has been treated with vaccine

        6. 4.Bovine tuberculosis

        7. 5.Brucellosis:

        8. 6.Sheep-pox:

        9. 7.Swine-fever:

        10. 8.Glanders:

        11. 9.Rabies:

        12. 10.. . . . . . Lumpy skin disease, Blue tongue, Teschen disease, African swine

        13. Para. 10A rep. by SR 2002/225

        14. Para. 10A rep. by SR 2002/225

        15. 10B.Bovine leucosis:

        16. Para. 10C rep. by SR 2002/225

        17. Para. 10C rep. by SR 2002/225

        18. 11.Diseases of Poultry:

      2. PART II COMPENSATION IN RESPECT OF THE SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS AND POULTRY

        1. 1.Cattle Plague:

        2. 2.Pleuro-pneumonia:

        3. 3.Foot-and-mouth Disease:

        4. 4.Bovine Tuberculosis:

        5. 5.Brucellosis:

        6. 6.Sheep-pox:

        7. 7.Swine-fever:

        8. 8.Glanders:

        9. 9.Rabies:

        10. Para. 10 rep. by SR 1996/399

        11. Para. 10 rep. by SR 1996/399

        12. 11.Swine vesicular disease:

        13. 12.Bovine leucosis, Lumpy skin disease, Blue tongue, Teschen disease, African swine-fever, Vesicular exanthema, African horse

        14. The compensation shall—where the animal slaughtered was affected with any of the above diseases be

        15. The compensation shall—where the animal slaughtered was affected with any of the above diseases be

        16. Para. 12A rep. by SR 2002/225

        17. Para. 12A rep. by SR 2002/225

        18. 12B.Peste des petits ruminants, Vesicular stomatitis, Rift valley fever, Epizootic haemorrhagic disease:

        19. Para. 12C rep. by SR 2002/225

        20. Para. 12C rep. by SR 2002/225

        21. 13.Diseases of poultry:

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      IMPORTED ANIMALS

      1. PART I Slaughter at landing place

        1. 1.The animals shall be landed only at a landing place as defined by this Order.

        2. 2.The animals shall be landed in such manner, at such times, and subject to such

        3. 3.The animals shall not be moved alive out of the landing place.

      2. PART II Quarantine

        1. 1.The animals shall be landed only at a landing place as defined by this Order.

        2. 2.The animals shall be landed in such manner, at such times, and subject to such

        3. 3.When landed the animals shall immediately be conveyed in such manner and subject to such

        4. 4.The animals shall not be moved out of the quarantine station except on conditions prescribed

        5. 5.Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this Part the provisions of this Order relating

        6. 6.The provisions of this Order relating to compensation or other payments in respect of animals

        7. 7.Without prejudice to paragraph 5, the Department may—cause to be slaughtered any imported animals or

      3. PART III Ancillary provisions

        1. 1.The Department may by order make such further or other provision as the Department thinks

        2. 2.In this Schedule, a “quarantine station” means—premises or accommodation approved by the Department for quarantine

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      SUBSTANCES TO WHICH PART III APPLIES

      1. 4.Any of the following substances to be administered to swine:-Para-aminophenylarsonic acid.Sodium Para-aminophenylarsonic acid.4-Hydroxy-3-Nitrophenylarsonic acid.4-Nitrophenylarsonic acid.4-Ureidophenylarsonic

      2. 5.Any substance containing any proportion of any of the substance specified in paragraph 4 if

      3. 6.The prohibition in Article 33 shall not apply to any person who has in his

    5. Schedule 5—Amendments

    6. SCHEDULE 6

      TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

      1. 1.For the purposes of an order under the Diseases of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1958...

      2. 2.Without prejudice to section 17 of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 an order under...

    7. Schedule 7—Repeals

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Order

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Order as a PDF

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Order

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as made version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources