The UK chief veterinary officer has announced that from Monday 10 February all gatherings of poultry will be banned across the whole of England. This includes any bird fairs, markets, shows, sales, and exhibitions.
This decision has been made to limit the spread of avian influenza, as there have now been 28 recorded cases in England this season.
This ban on gatherings applies to anseriformes (ducks and geese) and galliformes (turkeys, chicken, game birds). Gatherings of other captive birds, including pigeons and captive birds of prey, will continue to be permitted, providing all attending birds are registered and biosecurity advice is followed. This includes giving at least seven days advance notification to APHA of any gatherings.
UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: “This ban on gatherings of birds in England is an important step towards combatting the spread of avian influenza. As the risk to poultry from avian influenza remains high, it is important that Government and bird keepers can work closely together to prevent further cases of the disease.
“All poultry are at risk from the spread of infectious diseases and I urge bird keepers to be vigilant for signs of infection in their birds.”
This ban will be kept under regular review as the situation develops.