UNITED KINGDOM STATUTORY INSTRUMENT
2007 No. 1100
ANIMALs, ENGLANDANIMAL WELFARE
The Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007
Made 30th March 2007
Coming into force 6th April 2007
The Secretary of State is, in relation to England, the appropriate national authority for the purpose of exercising the powers conferred by section 5(4) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and makes the following Regulations in exercise of those powers.
In accordance with section 5(5) of that Act, the Secretary of State has consulted those persons appearing to him to represent interests with which these Regulations are concerned as he considered appropriate.
In accordance with section 61(2) of that Act, a draft of this instrument has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
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Title, commencement and applicationTitle, commencement and application
1. These Regulations—
(a) may be cited as the Mutilations (Permitted Procedures) (England) Regulations 2007;
(b) come into force on 6th April 2007;
(c) apply in England only.
Interpretation
2. In these Regulations—
“the Act” means the Animal Welfare Act 2006;
“cattle” means all animals of the bovine species including bison and buffalo;
“desnooding” means removal of a turkey’s snood;
“disbudding” means removal of the horn bud of cattle, goats or sheep;
“domestic fowl” means a domesticated member of the speciesGallus gallus;
“dubbing” means removal of the comb of a domestic fowl;
“farmed” means, in relation to an animal, bred or kept for the production of food, wool or skin or for other farming purposes;
“horses” includes ponies, asses, donkeys, jennets and mules;
“in velvet” means, in relation to the antlers of a deer, until the velvet is frayed and the greater part of it has been shed;
“laying hen” means a hen of the speciesGallus gallus which has reached laying maturity and is kept for production of eggs not intended for hatching;
“poultry” means domestic fowl, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowl, quails, pheasants and partridges;
“prohibited procedure” means a procedure which involves interference with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of an animal, otherwise than for the purpose of its medical treatment;
“suitable instrument” means in relation to any procedure, an instrument that is in a fit state of repair and has been designed, or is of a kind commonly used, for the purpose of performing that procedure.
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Exceptions to the prohibition on mutilationsExceptions to the prohibition on mutilations
3. Section 5(1) and (2) of the Act does not apply to a procedure listed in Schedule 1, providing it is carried out—
(a) in accordance with any relevant requirement in Schedules 2 to 9;
(b) in such a way as to minimise the pain and suffering it causes to the animal;
(c) in hygienic conditions; and
(d) in accordance with good practice.
Performance of prohibited procedures in an emergency
4.—(1) Section 5(1) and (2) of the Act does not apply where a prohibited procedure is carried out in an emergency for the purpose of saving the life or relieving the pain of the protected animal.
(2) Any procedure carried out under paragraph (1) must be carried out in accordance with regulation 3, so far as this is practicable in all of the circumstances.
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Persons who may carry out permitted proceduresPersons who may carry out permitted procedures
5.—(1) Any procedure permitted under regulation 3 may only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon or any other person permitted to carry out that procedure under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966or the Veterinary Surgeons (Exemptions) Order 1962.
(2) The restriction in paragraph (1) does not apply to tail docking, or castration, of pigs aged not more than 7 days.
Barry Gardiner
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
30th March 2007
SCHEDULE 1
Regulation 3
PERMITTED PROCEDURES
Cattle
Identification Procedures:
Ear clipping.
Ear notching.
Ear tagging.
Freeze branding.
Micro-chipping.
Tattooing.
Other methods of identification involving a mutilation required by law.
Procedures for the Control of Reproduction:
Castration.
Embryo collection or transfer by a surgical method.
Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive.
Ovum transplantation, including ovum collection, by a surgical method.
Vasectomy.
Other Management Procedures:
Dehorning.
Disbudding.
Nose ringing.
Removal of supernumerary teats.
Pigs
Identification Procedures:
Ear clipping.
Ear notching.
Ear tagging.
Micro-chipping.
Tattooing.
Other methods of identification involving a mutilation required by law.
Procedures for the Control of Reproduction:
Castration.
Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive.
Vasectomy.
Other Management Procedures:
Nose ringing.
Tail docking.
Tooth reduction.
Tusk trimming.
Birds
Identification Procedures:
Micro-chipping.
Other methods of identification involving a mutilation required by law.
Procedures for the Control of Reproduction:
Castration.
Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive.
Ovidectomy.
Vasectomy.
Other Management Procedures:
Beak trimming of poultry.
Desnooding.
De-toeing of domestic fowl and turkeys.
Dubbing.
Laparoscopy.
Wing pinioning.
Sheep
Identification Procedures:
Ear clipping.
Ear notching.
Ear tagging.
Micro-chipping.
Tattooing.
Other methods of identification involving a mutilation required by law.
Procedures for the Control of Reproduction:
Castration.
Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive.
Vasectomy.
Other Management Procedures:
Dehorning.
Disbudding.
Removal of the insensitive tip of the horn.
Tail docking.
Goats
Identification Procedures:
Ear clipping.
Ear notching.
Ear tagging.
Micro-chipping.
Tattooing.
Other methods of identification involving a mutilation required by law.
Procedures for the Control of Reproduction:
Castration.
Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive.
Vasectomy.
Other Management Procedures:
Dehorning.
Disbudding.
Removal of the insensitive tip of the horn.
Horses
Identification Procedures:
Freeze branding.
Hot branding.
Micro-chipping.
Tattooing.
Other methods of identification involving a mutilation required by law.
Procedures for the Control of Reproduction:
Castration.
Vasectomy.
Deer
Identification Procedures:
Ear clipping.
Ear notching.
Ear tagging.
Micro-chipping.
Tattooing.
Other methods of identification involving a mutilation required by law.
Procedures for the Control of Reproduction:
Castration.
Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive.
Vasectomy.
Other Management Procedures:
Removal of antlers that are not in velvet.
Other species
Identification Procedures:
Ear clipping.
Ear notching.
Ear tipping of feral cats.
Insertion of subcutaneous tracking devices.
Tagging.
Chemical branding of fish.
Freeze branding of fish.
Micro-chipping.
Removal or perforation of parts of fishes’ fins, adipose fins or fin rays.
Tattooing.
Other methods of identification involving a mutilation required by law.
Procedures for the Control of Reproduction:
Castration.
Embryo collection or transfer by a surgical method.
Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive.
Ovum transplantation, including ovum collection, by a surgical method.
Spaying.
Vasectomy.
Other Management Procedures:
Laparoscopy.
Removal of the dew claws of dogs.
Removal of fish scales.
SCHEDULE 2
Regulation 3
CATTLE: REQUIREMENTS WHEN CARRYING OUT CERTAIN PERMITTED PROCEDURES
When carried out on cattle, a procedure listed below must be carried out in accordance with the condition or conditions specified for that procedure.
(1)Castration
When the method used is the application of a rubber ring or other device to constrict the flow of blood to the scrotum, the procedure may only be carried out on an animal aged not more than 7 days.
When any other method is used, an anaesthetic must be administered where the animal is aged 2 months or over.
(2)Embryo collection or transfer by a surgical method
An anaesthetic must be administered.
(3)Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive
The procedure may not be carried out on a farmed animal.
The procedure may only be carried out as part of a conservation breeding programme.
(4)Ovum transplantation, including ovum collection, by a surgical method
An anaesthetic...
