UK Act of Parliament 1981 United Kingdom

Animal Health Act 1981

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At a glance

Enforced by

APHA, DEFRA

What's here

49 compliance obligations, 16 practical guides across 2 topics · 11 journeys · 6 statutory instruments

Penalty landscape

17 of 49 obligations carry imprisonment (6 months). 14 carry different penalties and 18 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 34
  • Occupier 2
  • Landlord 1
  • Manufacturer 1

Plus 11 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

9 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

5 guides

Mentioned in related content

2 guides
View all 16 guides →

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Occupiers also bound by 259 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Landlords also bound by 216 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Manufacturers also bound by 472 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — General

s.004

Offences as to s. 3.

3 months imprisonment
  • Make false statement to obtain eradication funds Any Person
s.006

Biosecurity compliance

  • Follow biosecurity guidance for animal diseases Landlord
s.006

Biosecurity codes: Scotland

6 months imprisonment
  • Failure to comply with Scottish biosecurity codes Any Person
s.008

Movement generally.

6 months imprisonment
  • Breach animal movement or transport restrictions Any Person
s.008

Animal gatherings: Scotland

6 months imprisonment
  • Breach of animal gathering licence conditions Any Person
s.010

Annual review of import controls

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ministers must publish an annual review of animal product import controls Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 15 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.006

Biosecurity guidance

s.006

Emergency biosecurity orders: Scotland

s.006

Tests and samples: Scotland

s.006

Samples: further testing

Part 2A — Scrapie

Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.036

Power of Secretary of State to specify sheep genotypes

s.036

Identification of genetically susceptible sheep

s.036

Restrictions on breeding from genetically susceptible sheep

s.036

Appeals

s.036

Secretary of State’s powers of enforcement

s.036

Offences

s.036

Power of entry

s.036

Warrants

s.036

Supplementary

s.036

Offences

s.036

Compensation

s.036

Orders and Regulations

s.036

Interpretation

Part 2B

s.036

Offences

2 years imprisonment
  • Sell livestock subject to a restriction notice Any Person
s.036

Compensation

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Scottish Ministers must pay compensation for slaughtered livestock Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.036

Power to specify livestock genotypes and TSEs

s.036

Ascertaining genotypes and identifying livestock

s.036

Restrictions on breeding

s.036

Review

s.036

Scottish Ministers' powers of enforcement

s.036

Powers of slaughter: TSE

s.036

Powers of entry

s.036

Orders and regulations

s.036

Interpretation

Part II — Disease

s.014

Duty to consider vaccination

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must consider vaccination to stop Foot-and-Mouth spread Crown / Minister / Government department
s.015

Separation and notice.

6 months imprisonment
  • Fail to isolate diseased animals or notify authorities Any Person
s.028

Deliberate infection

2 years imprisonment
  • Deliberately infecting an animal with a controlled disease Any Person
s.028

Deliberate infection: Scotland

2 years imprisonment
  • Deliberately or recklessly infect animals with disease in Scotland Any Person
s.028

Deliberate infection: disqualification orders

6 months imprisonment
  • Breach an animal disqualification order Any Person
s.032

Disease control (slaughter) statement: Scotland

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Scottish Ministers must issue a statement before ordering animal slaughter Crown / Minister / Government department
s.036

Seizure of carcases etc. : further provision for Scotland

6 months imprisonment
  • Unlawful disposal of animal carcases in water or sea Any Person
Browse 32 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.014

National contingency plan

s.016

Slaughter of vaccinated animals

s.016

Slaughter of treated animals: Scotland

s.028

Deliberate infection: disqualification

s.028

Deliberate infection: deprivation of entitlement to compensation

s.028

Deliberate infection: deprivation orders

s.028

Seizure orders where disqualification breached

s.028

Suspension of orders pending appeal

s.028

Specified diseases: Scotland

s.032

Slaughter to prevent spread of disease

s.032

Disease control (slaughter) protocol

s.032

Protocol: exercise of powers

s.032

Explanation of preventive slaughter

s.032

Slaughter for preventing spread of disease: Scotland

s.036

Compensation for seizure

Part III — Welfare and Export

Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part IV — Local Authorities

s.052

Inspectors and other officers.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must appoint inspectors to enforce animal health laws Local authority
s.054

Provision of wharves etc.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities may provide and charge for animal wharves and facilities Local authority
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part V — Enforcement, Offences and Proceedings

s.062

Tests and samples: supplementary

Unlimited fine
  • Fail to assist a veterinary inspector Occupier
s.066

Refusal and obstruction of inspector

  • Refuse entry to or obstruct animal health inspector Any Person
s.073

General offences.

6 months imprisonment
  • Breach of animal health regulations or orders Any Person
s.076

Fixed penalty notices

Unlimited fine
  • Obstruction or failure to provide information regarding a fixed penalty notice Any Person
Browse 20 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.062

Slaughter: power of entry

s.062

Slaughter: warrants

s.062

Slaughter: supplementary

s.062

Tests and samples: power of entry

s.062

Tests and samples: warrants

s.062

Powers of entry etc. : Scotland

s.062

Warrants

s.062

Entry and warrants: supplementary

s.064

Powers of inspectors relating to assimilated law

s.065

Inspection of vehicles

s.065

Inspection of vehicles: Scotland

s.071

Prosecutions: time limit

Part VI — Supplemental

s.080

Yearly return to Parliament.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ministers must lay a yearly animal health report before Parliament Crown / Minister / Government department
s.081

Reports to Minister.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must provide reports and information to the Minister Local authority
s.085

Exemption from stamp duty.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Exemption from stamp duty on animal health documents Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.083

Electronic communication: Scotland

Schedules

s.sch001

(1) The following provisions shall have effect with respect to...

  • Obtain a licence to manufacture controlled substances and comply with conditions Manufacturer
s.sch001

A person who— (a) contravenes or fails to comply with...

2 months imprisonment
  • Breach animal health licence conditions or sell banned substances Any Person
s.sch004

As regards water, if, in the case of any animal,...

Unlimited fine
  • Fail to arrange water supply for animals in transit Any Person
Browse 57 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001

(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-paragraph (2) below, this...

s.sch001

(1) The Ministers may make orders for the following purposes—...

s.sch001

The issue of a licence to import a substance the...

s.sch001

The therapeutic substances mentioned in paragraph 1(1)(a) above are—

s.sch002

The conditions to be observed before, during and after importation....

s.sch002

Recovery of costs.

s.sch002

Inspection.

s.sch002

Entitlement to compensation and the determination, subject to the Treasury’s...

s.sch002

Exemptions from provisions of the order by means of licences,...

s.sch002

The prohibition of the importation of animals or other things...

s.sch002

Landing and quarantine of animals and other things.

s.sch002

The premises at which animals and other things are to...

s.sch002

Seizure, detention and treatment of animals and other things.

s.sch002

Slaughter of animals and destruction of other things.

s.sch002

Cleansing and disinfection.

s.sch002

Marking, testing and use of animals and other things.

s.sch002

Movement of persons and of animals and other things.

s.sch002a

Specified diseases

s.sch002a

Foot-and-mouth disease Swine vesicular disease Peste des petits ruminants Lumpy...

s.sch002b

Specified diseases: Scotland

s.sch003

(1) The Minister shall cause to be slaughtered all animals...

s.sch003

(1) The Minister shall cause to be slaughtered all cattle...

s.sch003

(1) This paragraph applies to any premises which are declared...

s.sch003

(1) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, in any...

s.sch003

(1) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, in any...

s.sch003

(1) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, cause to...

s.sch003a

Power of slaughter for preventing spread of disease: Scotland

s.sch003a

With a view to preventing the spread of cattle plague,...

s.sch003a

With a view to preventing the spread of pleuro-pneumonia, the...

s.sch003a

With a view to preventing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease,...

s.sch003a

With a view to preventing the spread of swine-fever, the...

s.sch003a

With a view to preventing the spread of diseases of...

s.sch003a

(1) With a view to preventing the spread of such...

s.sch003a

The Scottish Ministers may, in relation to a disease, exercise...

s.sch003a

(1) The Scottish Ministers must pay compensation, of such amount...

s.sch003a

(1) No order is made under paragraph 6 unless a...

s.sch004

The food and water, or either of them, provided under...

s.sch004

The Ministers may, if they think fit, by order prescribe...

s.sch004

The body supplying food or water under section 38(2) may...

s.sch004

The amount of those additional charges accrued due in respect...

s.sch004

The body concerned shall have a lien for the amount...

s.sch005

Consequential Amendments

s.sch005

In section 106(6) of the Agriculture Act 1970 for “Diseases...

s.sch005

In the Slaughterhouses Act 1974— (a) in section 20(5) for...

s.sch005

In the Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980—

s.sch005

In section 100(6) of the Food and Drugs Act 1955...

s.sch005

In section 36(6) of the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act...

s.sch005

Consequential Amendments

s.sch005

In section 54(3) of the London Government Act 1963 for...

s.sch005

In paragraph (b) of the proviso to section 5(1) of...

s.sch005

In section 13(5) of the Agriculture Act 1967 for “Diseases...

s.sch005

In section 8(2) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968—...

s.sch005

In paragraph 7(2)(b) of Schedule 16 to the Transport Act...

Other sections — not classified into a Part

These sections sit outside the numbered Parts — usually provisions added or moved by later amendments.

Browse 1 other section
s.para.187

African horse sickness African swine fever Bluetongue Bovine brucellosis Classical...

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

APHA

Primary

Animal and Plant Health Agency

Safeguards animal and plant health for the benefit of people, environment and economy. Issues export health certificates, manages disease outbreaks, operates veterinary …

DEFRA

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities. Sets environmental policy and works with agencies …

Connected legislation

6 statutory instruments

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

Explore more

Browse legislation

Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.

Regulators

Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.