Bird keepers are today (2 September) being reminded that there is now one month to go until new measures to better protect the poultry sector from future avian influenza outbreaks are in place. This includes a legal deadline which comes into force on 1 October for all bird keepers - regardless of the size of their flock - to officially register themselves with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), if they have not already done so.
Registering your birds is important in the prevention and control of notifiable avian disease outbreaks (such as avian influenza and Newcastle disease). The register is used to communicate with keepers to inform them about measures they need to take to protect the health of their birds and to prevent the spread of disease.
The new rules cover owners of backyard flocks, birds of prey and pigeon fanciers, but do not affect caged pet birds (excluding any poultry species) kept entirely inside a domestic dwelling, such as a parrot, canary or budgie, which never leaves the property other than to visit a vet or another short-term period.
The information will also be used to identify all bird keepers in disease control zones, allowing for more effective completion of surveillance activities, so that zones can be lifted at the earliest possible opportunity enabling trade to resume swiftly following an outbreak of avian disease in Great Britain.
For bird keepers who have already registered and whose details haven't changed, there's no action needed. For those looking to update an existing registration and who already have a CPH number, please contact the APHA registration team directly by phone or email
