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

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

Penalty landscape

18 of 48 obligations carry imprisonment (6 months). 12 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

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 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Occupiers also bound by 101 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Landlords also bound by 70 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.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

s.036

Offences

2 years imprisonment
  • Breach of biosecurity or animal welfare enforcement notices Any Person
s.036

Offences

6 months imprisonment
  • Obstruct an inspector or provide false information regarding animal health Any Person
Browse 11 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

Power of entry

s.036

Warrants

s.036

Supplementary

s.036

Compensation

s.036

Orders and Regulations

s.036

Interpretation

Part 2B

s.036

Offences

  • 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

Browse 7 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch002a

Specified diseases

s.sch002b

Specified diseases: Scotland

s.sch003a

Power of slaughter for preventing spread of disease: Scotland

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.

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Browse legislation

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Regulators

Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.