www.defra.gov.uk Intra-Union Trade in Lagomorphs Notes for Guidance of Official Veterinarians and consigners (Exporters) March 2015 © Crown copyright 2012 You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or e-mail: [email protected] This document/publication is also available on our website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/import-export/ Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Contents 1. Key Documents .................................................................................................................... 1 2. Notifiable Disease Clearance ................................................................................................ 1 3. Scope.................................................................................................................................... 1 4. Completion of ITAHC: Specific Guidance: ............................................................................ 1 5. Notification to CIT Exports, Carlisle of Completion and Signature / Amendment of ITAHC .. 4 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1. Key Documents The following key documents must be read and understood prior to completing and signing the Intra-trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC) for wild ungulates, birds, lagomorphs, and carnivores, in respect of lagomorphs.   Lagomorphs-NFG - this document Lagomorphs-CKL - checklist procedures 2. Notifiable Disease Clearance Official Veterinarians may certify the following paragraphs of the Checklist on behalf of the Department provided written authority to do so has been obtained from Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Centre for International Trade (CIT) Exports, Carlisle on form TRACES-NDC;  Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Lagomorphs-CKL The TRACES-NDC must bear the same certificate reference number as the ITAHC to which it relates. 3. Scope This ITAHC covers intra-Union trade in lagomorphs which are being exported from premises which have been registered under Article 4 of the Balai Directive, 92/65/EEC (as amended). Exporters who wish to apply for their premises to become registered should contact CIT Exports, Carlisle. Before signing the export health certificate, the Official Veterinarian must be satisfied that all of the relevant requirements of the Directive 92/65/EEC (as amended) have been met. These requirements are covered in the checklist, Lagomorphs-CKL. If all the answers on the checklist are “yes” the relevant requirements of the Directive will be satisfied. 4. Completion of ITAHC: Specific Guidance: (a) Completion of Part I, box I.31 - identification of the animals Exporters must complete Box I.31 of Part I with the following information:    species age and sex individual identification or in the case of small animals, batch identification 1 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs The Official Veterinarian must be satisfied that the animals are suitably identified (either individually or as part of a batch) in accordance with the details recorded in Part I.31 of the health certificate. The “Official Veterinarian practice” (NOT someone in the employ of the exporter, transporter or agent) is responsible for verifying the identification marks and other details of each animal included in the certificate. (b) Welfare in Transport - Part II.1of the ITAHC Council Regulation 1/2005 (as amended) on the protection of animals during transport Article 3 (a) lays down the provisions with respect to fitness of animals to be transported on the intended journey. Annex I, Chapter I states that: no animal shall be transported unless it is fit for the intended journey and all animals shall be transported in conditions guaranteed not to cause them injury or unnecessary suffering. Animals that are injured or that present physiological weakness or pathological processes shall not be considered fit for transport. However, sick or injured animals may be considered fit if they are: (i) slightly injured or ill and transport would not cause unnecessary suffering; (ii) transported for scientific research purposes approved by the competent authority; (iii) transported under veterinary supervision for or following veterinary treatment or diagnosis. (iv) however, such transport shall be permitted only where no unnecessary suffering or ill treatment is caused to the animals concerned; (v) animals that have been submitted to veterinary procedures in relation to farming practices such as dehorning or castration, provided the wounds have completely healed. The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006, as amended and parallel legislation in Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland implement the EU Regulation in the UK. Guidance on the legislation issued by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) gives the following advice on the fitness to travel of animals for transport. Every animal should be fit for the journey that is planned. Animals should be in good health, free of illness, free of significant wounds and able to walk without pain on all legs. Animals that are in sufficiently good health, should be able to withstand the stress of a journey without experiencing any unnecessary pain or distress, and should arrive at their destination in good health. Animals that are injured or that present physiological weaknesses or pathological processes shall not be considered fit for transport and in particular if: ● they are unable to move independently without pain or to walk unassisted; ● they present a severe open wound, or prolapse; ● they are pregnant females for whom 90% or more of the expected gestation period has already passed, or females which have given birth in the previous week; ● they are new-born mammals in which the navel has not completely healed. 2 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Further information about the necessary requirements may be obtained from the Animal Welfare Team at any of the offices mentioned below. England, Scotland and Wales Welfare in Transport Team at the APHA Specialist Service Centre – International Trade – at Carlisle, via the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/animal-and-plant-health-agency Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland, Dundonald House, Upper Newtowards Road, Ballymiscaw, Belfast, BT4 3SB. DARD helpline number 0300 200 7852. DARD helpline email – [email protected] DARD Textphone 028 9052 4420 (c) Part II.. of the ITAHC (declaration) This paragraph may be certified If the answer to Question 1 of the checklist, Lagomorphs-CKL, is “YES”. (d) Part II.2 (option 3)of the ITAHC Part II.2 of the ITAHC refers to Article 4 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC as amended. If the answer to Question 2 of the Lagomorphs-CKL is “YES” then the conditions of Article 4 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC as amended have been met and this paragraph may be certified. (e) Part II, paragraph II.22 (option 3 Lagomorphs) of the ITAHC Part II.2 (Lagomorphs)(a) and (b) of the ITAHC refers to Article 9 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC and to clinical examination of the animals. These requirements are reflected in paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the checklist, Lagomorphs-CKL. In order to answer “YES” to Questions 4 and 5 of Lagomorphs-CKL, the OV must either have personal knowledge of the conditions in the premises of origin, or must obtain a support statement from another veterinary surgeon who does have such knowledge. If all the answers to Questions 3 to 6 of Lagomorphs-CKL are “YES” then the requirements of Article 9 of Council Directive 92/65/EEC (as amended) and the clinical examination have been satisfied and this paragraph can be certified. (f) Stamp and Signature Having completed all the checks, ensuring the ITAHC is fully completed and all the appropriate deletions and/or additions have been made, the Official Veterinarian must sign and stamp the ITAHC with the Official Veterinarian’s official stamp in ink of any colour other than black. The completed ITAHC will accompany the consignment to its final destination. 3 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 5. Notification to CIT Exports, Carlisle of Completion and Signature / Amendment of ITAHC Official Veterinarians must notify CIT Exports, CarisleCarlisle that an ITAHC has been completed and signed. Completed copies of the following documents must be emailed (preferred option) or faxed or delivered to CIT Exports, Carlisle on the same day the ITAHC is signed:   Part I of the ITAHC (indicating any amendments); completed Part II of the ITAHC. Any amendments to Part I of the ITAHC, must be clearly indicated, and endorsed with Official Veterinarian stamp and initials, so that the necessary amendments can be made by CIT Exports, Carlisle prior to sending the TRACES movement notification to the destination Member State. Certified Copies of ITAHCs Official Veterinarians should make at least one photocopy of the completed (i.e. signed and stamped) ITAHC and endorse the front of each copy with “Certified copy” and their initials. One copy should be retained by the Official Veterinarian for record purposes for a minimum of one year. Where it is not possible to email or fax a copy of the ITAHC to CIT Exports, Carlisle on the same day on which the ITAHC is signed, the Official Veterinarian should make an additional photocopy and ensure this is delivered to CIT Exports, Carlisle on the same day on which the ITAHC is signed. However, where this requirement for photocopying is likely to give rise to considerable practical difficulties, the OV should contact CIT Exports, Carlisle for advice. Notification of cancellation or changes If the consignment is  cancelled, or  its date/time of departure has changed significantly, or  a different vehicle is used, or  all the animals are not loaded, The exporter must notify CIT Exports, Carlisle by email or fax, giving details of changes, so that a replacement TRACES message can be sent. 4