Bird keepers required to house birds due to avian flu

Bird keepers required to house birds due to avian flu

Rotherham Council is urging all poultry, game and captive bird keepers to ensure they are aware of new legal requirements - whether they keep birds commercially or as pets.

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been declared following an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu in captive and wild birds. As a result, new measures came into force on 29 November that legally require all keepers to house their birds, to separate them from wild birds.

The measures have been introduced in response to an increasing number of recent confirmed cases of avian flu across England, to limit the spread of the disease.

Poultry and captive bird keepers can help prevent avian flu by maintaining good biosecurity on their premises, including:

  • housing or netting all poultry and captive birds
  • cleansing and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing
  • reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products
  • using effective vermin control
  • thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting housing at the end of a production cycle
  • keeping fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all points where people should use it, such as farm entrances and before entering poultry and captive bird housing or enclosures
  • minimising direct and indirect contact between poultry/captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is inaccessible to wild birds. 

Keepers with more than 500 birds should also take extra measures, including:

  • identifying clearly defined areas where access by non-essential people and vehicles are restricted
  • cleaning and disinfecting vehicles, equipment, and footwear
  • keeping records of vehicles and personnel entering and leaving the live-bird area.

Rotherham Council’s Assistant Director of Community Safety and Street Scene, Tom Smith, said: “Whilst there are currently no confirmed cases of Avian Flu in Rotherham, we are asking people who keep birds to take steps to keep it that way.

“Whether you keep a few birds in your back garden or are running a large-scale commercial operation - you should maintain good biosecurity at all times and keep a close watch for signs of disease. If you have any concerns about their health, seek prompt advice from your vet.

“However, Public Health England has confirmed the risk to the public is very low, and the Food Standards Agency advises that bird flu poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers.”

The Prevention Zone rules will be in place until further notice and will be kept under regular review as the threat of bird flu is monitored.

To assist all bird keepers in complying with the new rules DEFRA have updated their biosecurity guidance and published a Biosecurity self-assessment checklist which can be found on the Gov.uk website.

Members of the public should report dead wild birds to the DEFRA helpline on 0345 933 5577 and report any suspicion of disease to APHA on 03000 200301.

Published: 14th December 2021