Disease Control
1. The Animal Health Act 1981 gives a minister the power to make anorder providing for the destruction of wild species in an area, provided that theMinister is satisfied that the disease “exists” among the members of that species in the area and“has been or is being transmitted from” that species to any kind of animal inthe area, and that destruction of members of the wild species is “necessary in order to eliminate, or substantially reduce the incidence of, that disease in animals of any kind in the area”.
An order made under this section of the Act may authorise “methods ofdestruction that would otherwise be unlawful” and wild species, for thepurposes of the Act, means members of a species which is “neitherdomesticated nor held in captivity”.
With respect to wild boar, Defra suggest that despite the fact that wild boar are descended from escapes of farm stock it is likely that this definition wouldinclude these animals. A number of orders have been made under the Animal Health Act that are potentially relevant to disease in wild boar. These include the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Order 1983, the Aujeszky’s Disease Order 1983, The Classical Swine Fever (England) Order 2003 and The African Swine Fever (England) Order 2003. Each of these orders requires suspicion that an animal or carcass has the disease to be notified to the Divisional Veterinary Manager.
2. The Foot-and-Mouth Disease Order 1983 requires notification of thedisease by any “person who has in his possession or under his charge anaffected or a suspected animal, or the carcass of such an animal”.
With respect to wild boar, the Order includes “swine” but it is unclear if the requirement for notification would extend to wild boar. However, at the time of writing the FMD Order is under review and it seems likely that more specific requirements for notification in wild animals will be made in the new Order.
3. The Aujeszky’s Disease Order 1983 requires notification by the “owner of an affected or suspected animal or carcass” or “any veterinary surgeon or other person who, in the course of his duties, examines or inspects such an animal or carcass”.
With respect to wild boar, this Order also applies to “swine” but as feral animals are not owned the requirement for notification in such animals, again, is not clear-cut. Neither of these Orders deals specifically with the control of wild or feral species for disease control. The issue of additional specific orders for this purpose under section 21 of the 1981 Act would appear to be necessary.
4. The Classical Swine Fever (England) Order 2003 requires notificationby “any person who suspects the disease in any pig or carcass” which is inhis possession, under his charge, or examined or inspected by him.
With respect to wild boar, the Order also makes provision for the Secretary of State to declare a “Feral pig investigation zone” if there is “reason to suspect that the disease exists in feral pigs”. Within this zone “any person who shoots, or finds the carcass of, a feral pig” must notify the DVM. If he shot the animal he must also keep the carcass “for at least 24 hours after informing the DVM” and make it available for sampling and testing. If the disease is confirmed in feral pigs the Secretary of State may establish an “infected area” of “sufficient size to cover the area where the disease is suspected to be present”. Furtherrestrictions and requirements may be applied within the infected area,including the suspension of hunting and banning the feeding of feral pigs. Inthe context of the Order “feral pig” would also mean wild boar. A separateorder would appear to be required to instigate control measures against feralpigs.
5. The African Swine Fever (England) Order 2003 makes similarprovisions with respect to ASF as The Classical Swine Fever (England) Order2003 does with respect to CSF.
6. The Tuberculosis (England & Wales) Order 1984 made the disease notifiable in all mammal species, except humans.
With respect to wild boar, unlike in wild deer, tuberculosis is not at present a notifiable disease in feral pigs/wild boar. However, at the time of writing there are proposals to widen the scope of the law.
Wordt vertaald, even geduld aub..
