The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Wales) Order 2007

Made: 27 March 2007

Coming into force: 30 March 2007

The National Assembly for Wales, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 1, 7, 8(1), 37, 38(1), 39, 83(2) and 87(2), (3) and (5)(a) of the Animal Health Act 1981[^f00001], and now vested in it[^f00002], makes the following Order:

PART 1 — Introduction

Title, commencement and application

1

The title of this Order is the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Wales) Order 2007. It comes into force on 30 March 2007 and applies in relation to Wales.

Interpretation

2

• (1) In this Order “the Act” means the Animal Health Act 1981.

• (2) Expressions used in this Order that are also used in the following Regulations have the meaning they bear in those Regulations.

• (3) The Regulations are—

• (a) Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and amending Directives 64/432/EEC and 93/119/EC and Regulation (EC) 1255/97[^f00003];

• (b) Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 concerning Community criteria for staging points and amending the route plan referred to in the Annex to Directive 91/628/EEC[^f00004];

• (c) Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products.

• (4) The “local authority” means in relation to an area the county council or county borough council for that area.

• (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (6) Any reference to the Regulations referred to in paragraph (3) is a reference to those instruments as amended from time to time.

Extension of definition of “animals” and “poultry”

3

For the purposes of the Act in its application to this Order, the definitions of animals and poultry in section 87 of the Act are extended to cover all vertebrate animals and cold-blooded invertebrate animals.

PART 2 — Transport of Animals

General provision on the protection of animals during transport

4

• (1) It is an offence to transport any animal in a way which causes, or is likely to cause, injury or unnecessary suffering to that animal.

• (2) It is an offence to transport any animal except in such receptacles or means of transport, under conditions (in particular with regard to space, ventilation, temperature and security) and with such supply of liquid and oxygen, as are appropriate for the species concerned.

• (3) This article applies to the transport of cold-blooded invertebrate animals.

• (4) This article applies to the transport of vertebrate animals except those to which Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 applies.

Transport

5

• (1) A person who fails to comply with any of the following provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 is guilty of an offence against the Act—

• (a) Article 3 (general conditions for the transport of animals);

• (b) Article 4(1) (Article 4 relates to transport documentation);

• (c) Article 5(1) (Article 5 relates to planning obligations for the transport of animals);

• (d) Article 6(1) (Article 6 relates to transporters);

• (e) from 5 January 2008, Article 6(5);

• (f) Article 7 (prior inspection and approval of means of transport);

• (g) points 1.8, 1.9 or 1.11 of Chapter III of Annex I (Chapter III relates to transport practices).

• (2) No person is to remove, deface, obliterate or alter a mark made under paragraph (3) of article 24 (powers of inspectors).

• (3) Copies of the documentation referred to in Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 must be kept for 6 months from the completion of the journey.

Transporters

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A transporter who fails to comply with the following provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 is guilty of an offence against the Act—

• (a) Article 4(2) (Article 4 relates to transport documentation);

• (b) Article 5(2) and (4) (Article 5 relates to planning obligations for the transport of animals);

• (c) Article 6(2), (3), (4), (6) and (8) (Article 6 relates to transporters);

• (d) Article 6(9)—

• (i) for means of transport by road in service for the first time on or after the coming into force date of this Order; and

• (ii) for all means of transport by road on or after 1 January 2009;

• (e) Article 12 (Article 12 relates to limitation on applications for authorisation).

Roll-on-roll-off vessels

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• (1) A master of a roll-on-roll-off vessel who fails to comply with point 3.1 of Chapter II of Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 (Chapter II relates to additional provisions for transport on roll-on-roll-off vessels) is guilty of an offence against the Act.

• (2) No transporter is to transport animals on a roll-on-roll-off vessel unless the master of the vessel has first verified the matters referred to in that point.

Organisers

8

An organiser who fails to comply with any of the obligations in Article 5(3) and (4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 (Article 5 relates to planning obligations for the transport of animals) is guilty of an offence against the Act.

Keepers

9

A keeper who fails to comply with Article 8 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 (keepers at places of departure, transfer or destination) is guilty of an offence against the Act.

Assembly centres

10

An operator of an assembly centre who fails to comply with Article 9 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 (assembly centres) is guilty of an offence against the Act.

Control posts

11

• (1) It is an offence for a person to operate a control post unless he or she is approved for that purpose.

• (2) It is an offence for any person to operate or use a control post unless it is approved in accordance with Article 3(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97.

• (3) An operator of a control post who fails to comply with any of the following provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 is guilty of an offence against the Act—

• (a) Article 4 (use of control posts);

• (b) Article 5 (the operation of control posts);

• (c) Article 6(1) (confirmation that an animal is fit to continue its journey).

PART 3 — Derogations for means of transport by road on journeys under 12 hours

Application

12

In accordance with Article 18(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, the derogations in this Part apply in respect of a means of transport by road used for a journey that does not exceed 12 hours in order to reach the final place of destination (“means of transport by road”).

Derogation from inspection and approval

13

For the purposes of Article 18(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, a means of transport by road used to transport animals other than domestic equidae or domestic animals of bovine, ovine, caprine or porcine species does not require a certificate of approval.

Derogation from requirement for continuous access to water

14

For the purposes of point 1.4(b) of Chapter V of Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, during a journey pigs—

• (a) do not require continuous access to water on a means of transport by road;

• (b) must be offered water at appropriate intervals and afforded an adequate opportunity to drink.

Derogation from insulated roof requirement

15

For the purposes of point 1.1 of Chapter VI to Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, the roof on a means of transport by road does not require insulation.

Derogation from temperature requirements

16

• (1) For the purposes of point 3.1 of Chapter VI of Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, the temperature on a means of transport by road may fall below 0°C during a journey—

• (a) up to the time when the means of transport by road is first moved at the place of departure; and

• (b) during any unloading and loading occurring at intermediate points in the journey.

• (2) But where the temperature falls below 0°C, pigs weighing less than 30 kgs and unaccompanied on the journey by their mother must be provided with adequate quantities of a bedding material appropriate to the species to ensure their thermal comfort.

Derogation from ventilation system requirement

17

The ventilation system on a means of transport by road—

• (a) does not require the capabilities described in point 3.2 of Chapter VI of Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005;

• (b) must be capable of adjustment so as to ensure that the requirements for temperatures set out in that point and in article 16(1) are maintained during the journey.

Derogation from temperature monitoring requirements

18

The temperature monitoring, data recording and warning systems referred to in points 3.3 and 3.4 of Chapter VI of Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 are not required on a means of transport by road.

Derogation from navigation system requirement

19

The navigation system referred to in point 4.1 of Chapter VI of Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 is not required in a means of transport by road.

PART 4 — Approvals

The competent authority

20

The Welsh Ministers are the competent authority for the purposes of Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 and Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.

Approvals, authorisations etc

21

Any approval, authorisation or certificate issued under this Order, Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 or Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97—

• (a) must be in writing;

• (b) may be made subject to conditions; and

• (c) may be amended, suspended or revoked at any time.

Suspension, revocation of approvals etc

22

• (1) The Welsh Ministers may, by notice, suspend or amend an approval, authorisation, certificate of approval or certificate of competence if satisfied that any of the conditions under which it was granted or of any provision of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 or this Order have been breached.

• (2) A suspension under paragraph (1)—

• (a) has immediate effect where the Welsh Ministers consider it necessary to protect the welfare of animals;

• (b) otherwise will not have effect for at least 21 days following service of the notice.

• (3) The notice must—

• (a) give reasons;

• (b) state when it comes into effect and, in the case of a suspension, state on what date or event it is to cease to have effect; and

• (c) explain the right of the recipient of the notice to make written representations to a person appointed by the Welsh Ministers.

• (4) Where the notice does not have immediate effect, and representations are made under article 23, an amendment or suspension will not have effect until the final determination by the Welsh Ministers in accordance with article 23 unless the Welsh Ministers decide that it is necessary for the protection of animal welfare for the amendment or suspension to have immediate effect and gives notice to that effect.

• (5) Where a suspension is upheld, the Welsh Ministers may, by notice, revoke an approval, authorisation, certificate of approval or certificate of competence if satisfied that this Order, Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 or Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 will not be complied with.

• (6) A notice must not be issued under paragraph (5) until the process in article 23 (if any) has been completed.

Representations to an appointed person

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• (1) A person may make written representations against a refusal, condition, amendment, suspension or revocation of an approval, authorisation or certificate to a person appointed for the purpose by the Welsh Ministers.

• (2) Any representations must be made within 21 days of receiving notification of the Welsh Ministers' decision.

• (3) The appointed person must consider the representations and report in writing to the Welsh Ministers.

• (4) The Welsh Ministers must give to the person making the representations written notification of their final determination and their reasons.

PART 5 — Miscellaneous

Powers of inspectors

24

• (1) If an inspector considers animals are being transported, or are to be transported, in a way which—

• (a) contravenes any provision of this Order; or

• (b) constitutes an offence against the Act by virtue of this Order,

he or she may serve a notice on the person appearing to him or her to be in charge of the animals requiring that person to take any action necessary to ensure compliance with this Order, giving reasons for the requirements.

• (2) An inspector may in particular—

• (a) prohibit the transport of the animals, either indefinitely or for a period specified in the notice;

• (b) specify conditions under which the animals may be transported;

• (c) require the journey to be completed, or the animals to be returned to their place of departure, by the most direct route, provided that this course of action would not cause unnecessary suffering to the animals;

• (d) require animals not fit to complete their journey to be unloaded, watered, fed or rested;

• (e) require the animals to be held in suitable accommodation with appropriate care until the problem identified in the notice is solved;

• (f) require the humane slaughter or killing of the animals; or

• (g) require a means of transport or container to be repaired or replaced before it is used to transport animals.

• (3) Where it is necessary for identification purposes, an inspector may mark an animal.

• (4) An inspector may take copies of any document—

• (a) inspected for the purpose of ascertaining whether the provisions of this Order, Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 or Regulation (EU) 2017/625 have been complied with;

• (b) inspected in the course of performing official controls under Regulation (EU) 2017/625.

• (5) An inspector may serve on the owner, or any person appearing to him or her to be in charge of a control post, a notice requiring him or her to take any action the inspector reasonably considers necessary to ensure compliance with, or remedy any infringement of, Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97.

• (6) In particular, an inspector may—

• (a) require one or more animals at a control post to be removed from the control post;

• (b) specify conditions under which animals may remain there.

• (7) In deciding whether to serve a notice under this article, an inspector may take into account any previous failure to comply with any provision of this Order, any other Order made under sections 37, 38 or 39 of the Act or paragraph 13(b) of Annex II to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 (return of documents after completion of journey).