Avian Flu Prevention Zone for all of Britain
This morning an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) was declared across Great Britain. The AIPZ is to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and captive birds. Most of Somerset West & Taunton was already under an AIPZ declared in August this year.
Under the new restrictions keepers of more than 500 birds will need to restrict access for non-essential people on their sites. Workers will need to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures. Site vehicles will need to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading.
Backyard owners with smaller numbers of poultry including chickens, ducks and geese must also take steps. All bird keepers must keep a close watch on them for signs of disease and maintain good biosecurity at all times. This applies whether you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock. If you have any concerns about the health of your birds, seek prompt advice from your vet.
You should register your poultry (with the Animal & Plant Health Agency) even if only kept as pets. This is so you can be contacted during an outbreak. This is a legal requirement if you have 50 or more birds. Poultry includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeon (bred for meat), partridge, quail, guinea fowl and pheasants.
You can find the forms here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/981417/IRA81.pdf