Animal Health

The Trading Standards service at Bedfordshire County Council work to control and contain animal diseases and to ensure diseased animals are not brought into contact with healthy ones. Movement of animals is carefully monitored and their welfare is regularly checked at markets and during transportation.

Their aims are to promote the safe movement of animals, the control of animal diseases and to examine the quality of animal feed and soil fertilisers. They enforce legislation designed to protect livestock and farm animals. They therefore monitor the standards of animal health and welfare on farms, in transport and at markets, to ensure that they are protected from cruelty and avoidable pain and prevent the spread of disease.

Officers regularly visit farms to check that the health of livestock is maintained and vehicles used in transport do not present a risk to the animals being moved in them. Movement Control Records (regularly examined by Officers) are required to be kept by livestock holders so that animals can be quickly traced in the event of an outbreak of serious notifiable disease, such as foot and mouth or swine fever.

This Service is committed to safeguarding the welfare of animals and the promotion of good animal husbandry. It strictly enforces extensive farm animal legislation supported by codes of practice laid down by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The Service works closely with the DEFRA who provide the veterinary expertise to support our enforcement.

Work in this area has included: the investigation of animals illegally entering the country, the inspection of circuses under the Performing Animals Act and the testing and sampling of pet foods.

The principal legislations enforced in this area are:

  • The Animal Health Act 1981
  • The Agriculture Act 1970
  • Farm and Garden Chemicals Act 1967
  • Performing Animals (Regulations) Act 1925
  • The Protection of Animals Act 2000
  • Animal Welfare Act 2006

Contact

For specific information on animal health or agricultural feeds matters, please contact the animal health team using the details below. Alternatively you can view Bedfordshire Trading Standards' Animal Health and Welfare guidance leaflets.

Animal Health Team,
Bedfordshire Trading Standards,
Bedfordshire County Council,
County Hall,
Cauldwell Street,
Bedford, MK42 9AP

Telephone: 01234 228280
Fax: 01234 228255
Email:business@bedscc.gov.uk

reviewed 09 April 2008