What happens when you report a notifiable disease in your animals

If you suspect a notifiable disease in your animals

A notifiable disease is a disease that you must report to the government by law.

If you suspect a notifiable disease in your animals in England, you must report it by calling 03000 200 301.

Failure to report your suspicions is against the law.

Find out when to report dead wild birds and how to report them.

What happens when you report a notifiable animal disease

1. When you call, you will speak to a duty vet from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) who will ask you about your animals.

2. If the APHA duty vet cannot rule out a notifiable disease on the phone, APHA will need to investigate further. A veterinary inspector will usually need to visit your premises.

3. The duty vet will tell you what restrictions you must follow before the veterinary inspector arrives. For example, you may need to stop moving animals susceptible to the disease on or off your premises. You may also have to stop moving anything that can transmit the disease, like meat products, equipment or vehicles.

4. When the veterinary inspector visits your premises, they may take samples for testing if they cannot rule out a notifiable disease. For some diseases, they may need to cull the animal to take samples.

5. The veterinary inspector may put restrictions on your premises. You must follow these restrictions, or you could be breaking the law.

6. A temporary control zone can be put around your premises, depending on the suspected disease. This restricts the movement of animals susceptible to the disease and helps to stop it spread.

Restrictions will continue until the investigation is complete. If a notifiable disease is ruled out, the restrictions will end.

If a notifiable animal disease is confirmed

APHA will carry out further investigations at your premises to assess:

• how long the disease has been present
• where the disease came from
• whether it has spread

APHA will put restrictions on any premises the disease is likely to have spread from or to (for example when animals have been moved).

APHA may also introduce restrictions in a wider area, depending on the risk of the disease spreading. These are called disease control zones.

APHA may:

• cull susceptible animals
• carry out initial cleansing and disinfection of your premises
• introduce strict rules on restocking
• limit activities that could spread disease, such as exports, hunting and animal gatherings (such as fairs, markets, shows, sales, exhibitions and some premises used for dealing or internet sales).

APHA will tell you if there are actions you need to take.

If a notifiable disease is ruled out

If suspicion of notifiable disease is ruled out, any restrictions that were placed on your premises will end.

You may be eligible for a follow-up investigation by an APHA vet. They can work with you and your vet to:

• identify the disease in your livestock
• establish the cause of the disease
• help you treat, control and prevent the disease

These investigations can be conducted on the samples already received or on additional samples from affected animals.

APHA subsidises the cost of its diagnostic investigations. You may be able to get some follow-up tests for free.

If you want to have a follow-up investigation, your vet should either:

• telephone your nearest APHA Veterinary Investigation Centre
• email SIU@apha.gov.uk

Your vet should tell them:

• the species of animal affected
• APHA have investigated and ruled out notifiable disease as the cause of the disease
• you would like a diagnostic investigation

Get compensation

You may be entitled to compensation if healthy animals are culled by the government to control a notifiable disease.

You are not entitled to compensation because of a disease control zone or for any losses you experience because you’re in zone.

Animals or birds spared from culling

For most notifiable diseases, animals may be culled to prevent the spread of disease during an outbreak.

Some animals and birds, including breeds at risk, may not be culled if it will not affect controlling the disease.

Find out more about animals and birds that may be spared from culling.

Support for the farming community

Farming Help supports the farming community through challenging times.

If you need support, contact them on 03000 111 999 or visit the Farming Help website.

See our list of organisations offering wellbeing support to the farming community.