Animal Health Act 1981: expenditure and prosecutions - 2019

Annual return made under section 80 of the Animal Health Act 1981

This statutory return is required to be made and laid before Parliament in accordance with Section 80 of the Animal Health Act 1981 and includes data relating to Scotland only.

A separate report has been compiled by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Welsh Government for their respective functions.

This return is compiled from information supplied to the Scottish Government and while every effort is made to ensure its accuracy, this cannot be guaranteed.

Scottish Government
Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate
March 2020

Prosecutions under the Animal Health Act 1981 in 2019

There were no prosecutions in 2019.

Compensation paid for animals slaughtered to prevent the spread of animal diseases in 2019

Type of Disease	Amount
Bovine tuberculosis	£443,824
Less receipts from salvage of carcasses	£45,599
Total Net Compensation Paid	£398,225

Notes: All figures have been rounded up to the nearest pound.

Number of imported animals found to be affected by a notifiable disease in 2019

Legislation	Type of Animal	Number	Point of Origin	Type of Disease	Methods of Disposal
The Tuberculosis (Scotland) Order 2007	Heifer	1	Republic of Ireland	Bovine Tuberculosis	Slaughter

Formal enforcement actions under the Animal Health Act 1981 and other animal health and welfare legislation by local authorities in 2019

Convictions achieved under the Animal Health Act 1981 and other animal health and welfare legislation

Relevant Act, Order or Regulation	Nature of offence	Result (when known)	Decision (including imprisonment, fine etc.)
Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, Section 19(2)	Unnecessary suffering to a male pig, fail to provide adequate care and treatment, fail to obtain veterinary advice and treatment for chronic polyarthritis.	Guilty	Disposal Order S 34 1 B1, Destruction Order S.34 1 B11, 14 months imprisonment, a life ban from keeping animals
Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, Section 19(2)	Unnecessary suffering to four goats, fail to provide adequate care and treatment, fail to obtain veterinary advice and treatment for skin condition and malnutrition.	Guilty	Disposal Order S 34 1 B1, Destruction Order S.34 1 B11, 14 months imprisonment, a life ban from keeping animals
Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, Section 24	Fail to ensure needs met, fail to provide suitable environment and expose to hazards
Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006	Failure to provide adequate feed and care resulting in deaths.	Guilty	65 hours unpaid Community Payback Order, 14 month Disqualification Order from owning cattle, cows and calves

Number of visits and enforcement action taken

Category	Subcategory	Number of visits	Oral or Written Advice	Written Notification Warnings	Formal written Notices	Reported to Procurator Fiscal	Other
Welfare (see note 1)	Farm	824	368	9	0	0	0
Welfare	Transport	369	19	2	0	0	0
Welfare	Market	462	82	4	0	0	0
Traceability	Identification, Movement, and Records	879	108	0	0	0	0
Biosecurity (see note 2)	Farm and Transport	46	29	2	0	0	0
Biosecurity	Market	190	13	1	0	0	0
Animal By-Products and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE)	Visits and interventions	73	22	2	0	0	0

Notes:

1. This is the number of welfare visit undertaken which were programmed, part of planned interventions, or projects, or in response to complaints

2. This is the number of visits where biosecurity has been considered separately, outwith a general market or farm visit.

Number of complaints, service requests and livestock animals inspected

Category	Total
Number of animal health and welfare complaints made to Service (see note 1)	563
Number of service requests made to Service (see note 2)	443
Livestock animals inspected (see note 3)	680564

Notes:

1. This is the number of requests or complaints received which have required action or investigation by local authority animal health and welfare officers.

2. This figure includes request for service from consumers (not complaints), businesses and other agencies.

3. This is the total number of animals which were inspected or assessed in markets and other premises or holdings. This will include animals inspected for fitness, identification or health at markets and does not require that an examination takes place.

Summary of alternative enforcement interventions taken

• Scottish Markets and Sales;
• Royal Highland Show and Regional Agricultural Shows;
• Training courses;
• Joint visits with the SSPCA and APHA;
• Pony Clubs;
• NFUS;
• AgriScot;
• Transporters;
• Vet Practices;
• Knackery;
• Hunt Kennels;
• Puppy Imports; and
• The bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) advisory group

Notes: Alternative interventions are recorded to highlight additional work and areas covered. This may include attendance at agricultural shows, NFUS meetings; joint initiatives with APHA, police, Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division (SGRPID); leaflets and information etc.

Key Performance Measure

High Risk Visits
Average of high risk programmed visits inspected	95%

Notes: This is the figure for High Risk agricultural premises visited by local authorities but also includes visits that have not been carried out as a result of these premises being visited by APHA staff as part of their pre-planned visit plan. As a result this prevents penalising local authorities who are using a joined-up approach to prevent double visits by different enforcers for similar purposes.

Definitions

Oral or Written advice: There is little difference whether the advice is written or oral. If it is advice and for enforcement purposes, should be grouped together. This would also be useful as it gives an indication of the level of complaint businesses.

Written correspondence or warnings: This indicates that there is a need for improvements following the intervention of animal health and welfare officers. This includes all letters and written notifications issued by the officer or the service which require improvements or actions to be taken.

Formal written notices: This should include any formal statutory Notices which are issued under the Animal Health Act 1981, or other animal health and welfare Regulations or Orders.

Reported to Procurator Fiscal: We should record the number of cases reported to Procurator Fiscal as this is not the same as the prosecution reports. There may well be cases which are not progressed by the Crown or they may issue a fiscal warning. It would be helpful to determine this as it will provide an overview on the work of Wildlife and Environmental Crime Unit.

Other: This includes Notices issued by the Sheriff including disposal orders in terms of livestock seizures.