Urgent action by all members needed to challenge DEFRA who are proposing draconian restrictions to our bird keeping.
DEFRA are consulting on three options, and there can be no doubt that whatever become Law, the regulations by which we would all have to comply, would have a devastating effect on our hobby.
To read more and to see how you can respond to the consultation see the details below
Proposed policy on registration of birds including ‘pet’ birds.
DEFRA are consulting on three options, as follows:
Baseline – Do not change the current poultry registration requirements.
Option 1 – (DEFRA’s preferred option) Extend the registration requirement to all bird keepers, including mandatory annual update to the registration information.
Option 2 – Extend registration requirements to a keeper of 10 or more birds, including mandatory annual update to the registration information.
There can be no doubt that if either Option 1 or 2 are imposed (note Option 1 is DEFRA’s preferred option) and become Law, the regulations by which we would all have to comply, would have a devastating effect on our hobby. The level of bureaucracy involved, and the potential cost implications are a real threat to all bird keepers. The other great concern I have is that, in the future, the Fancy could be faced with a Government much more hostile to the hobby of keeping birds. These regulations if they become Law, would be an ideal vehicle to further restrict the Hobby. The potential to add further restrictions to how we run our hobby is real. The obvious next step would be to outlaw anyone from showing their birds in the UK unless their birds are registered.
To the best of my knowledge, there has yet been no proven cross infection between wild birds and our captive bird population, (poultry excepted) because physical contact between them is highly unlikely, therefore the reason for these proposed Regulations is tenuous at best.
The link to the consultation is listed below and I have recommended a set of responses along with suggested wording for the questions that require you to give a reason – both have been identified in bold black italics.
I realise that completing the online consultation is going to take a little time, but I do strongly urge you to make the time to defend your hobby from the unprecedented attack.
Ian Adcock – LCA Secretary
Link to the DEFRA consultation
https://consult.defra.gov.uk/poultry-register/all-birds-registration2023/
1. Would you like your response to be kept confidential? (Select one option only)
Suggested response – No Note If you select yes you have to specify a reason.
2. What is your name? Add in your name.
3. What is your email address? Add in your Email.
4. Which best describes you? (please tick only one option): As you are responding with your personal views, rather than as an official representative of a business / business association / other organisation. Suggested response – Individual.
5. Please only answer this question if you are responding on behalf of an organisation or business. Please provide the name of the organisation/business you represent. Not applicable – no answer required.
6. Please indicate which location your response relates to, selecting from the following (select all that apply) – Select you region.
7. Do you or the sector you represent keep poultry or other captive birds? (tick all that are applicable)
Definitions: Poultry and other captive birds – Suggested response – Other captive birds
8. Do you keep any of the following poultry or other captive bird species? (tick all that are applicable):
Other captive bird species: Suggested box to tick is – Ornamental birds kept for display or exhibitions or in aviaries (for example finches and canaries)
9. For which of the following purposes do you keep birds (poultry or other captive birds)? (tick as many as apply): Suggest that the following is ticked – As pets and Shows or exhibitions
10. How many bird(s) do you (or your organisation) keep? Tick the box that is appropriate to your circumstances
11. Please state your preferred option and why (select one option): Very strongly recommend that you select the option – Do nothing (no change to the current registration requirements)
You need to specify a reason for the option you select and I recommend that you say something like the following:-
My canaries are kept in any enclosed bird room with no access to the external environment so they can’t come into contact with any wild birds and are therefore not at risk of catching or transmitting Avian Flu
12. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposal to extend the poultry registration requirements to include all bird species? (select one option only). Suggest that you select – strongly disagree
You need to specify a reason for the option you select and I recommend that you say something like the following:-
The proposal adds to the bureaucracy of my bird keeping hobby and does nothing to mitigate the impacts of Avian Flu
13. As set out in options 1 and 2 above, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposal to reduce the registration threshold of all bird species (except pet birds kept entirety in domestic dwelling)? (select one option per proposal).
Reduction of the registration threshold for all bird species from 50 to 1 – select option – strongly disagree
Reduction of the registration threshold for all bird species from 50 to 10 – select option – strongly disagree
You need to specify a reason for the option you select, and I recommend that you say something like the following:- The proposal adds to the bureaucracy of my bird keeping hobby and does nothing to mitigate the impacts of Avian Flu
14. As set out in options 1 and 2 above, we are considering exempting pet birds kept within a domestic dwelling from the proposed changes to the mandatory registration requirements. This would mean that that a keeper of pet birds would be exempted from registering such birds. Do you think pet birds that are housed exclusively within a domestic dwelling should be exempt from the proposal to extend the mandatory registration requirements to all bird species? (select one option only). Select option – Yes
You need to specify a reason for the option you select and I recommend that you say something like the following:– Pet birds kept in a closed environment with no access to wild birds are not at risk of catching or transmitting Avian Flu
15. How far do you agree or disagree with mandating all bird keepers to review and update their information annually on the register, by a specified date? (select one option only). Suggest you select – strongly disagree
You need to specify a reason for the option you select and I recommend that you say something like the following:- Pet birds kept in a closed environment with no access to wild birds are not at risk of catching or transmitting Avian Flu. The proposal adds to the bureaucracy of my bird keeping hobby and does nothing to mitigate the impacts of Avian Flu
16. Following on from question 15, when do you think the annual reminder should be sent to keepers? (select one option only). Suggested option – other
You need to specify a reason for the option you select and I recommend that you say something like the following:- Pet bird keepers should be exempt from this unnecessary bureaucracy
17. The proposal to require keepers to update their registration information annually would require them to have access to their information via an online portal. A 12-month transition period before proposals brought forward come into force is proposed to accommodate this. In your opinion, is the proposed transition period of 12 months for the new mandatory annual update requirements (select one option only). Suggested option – too short
You need to specify a reason for the option you select and I recommend that you say something like the following:- Pet bird keepers should be exempt from this unnecessary bureaucracy
18. Do you have additional information or evidence on the potential impacts of the proposed amendment to the mandatory poultry registration requirements and extension to all bird species as set out in option 1? Suggested reasons – The need to register through an online portal will disadvantage those who find this a daunting if not impossible task. They could find themselves being inadvertently criminalised.
Pet birds kept in a closed environment with no access to wild birds are not at risk of catching or transmitting Avian Flu. The proposal adds to the bureaucracy of my bird keeping hobby and does nothing to mitigate the impacts of Avian Flu. Pet bird keepers should be exempt from this unnecessary bureaucracy
19. Do you have additional information or evidence on the potential impacts of the proposed amendment to the mandatory poultry registration requirements and extension to keepers of 10 or more birds as set out in option 2? Suggested reason – The need to register through an online portal will disadvantage those who find this a daunting if not impossible task. They could find themselves being inadvertently criminalised.
20. Is there anything else you would like to tell us relating to the proposed amendments to the registration requirements? Suggested response – The proposed registration scheme goes far beyond the recommendations of the 2018 Dame Glenys Stacey Review. The latter recommended the removal of the lower bird number limit for registration of poultry but made no such recommendation for ‘other captive birds’ including ‘pet’ birds. DEFRA has offered no evidence to justify the expansion of the registration scheme to include “other captive birds’. The proposal should therefore be shelved until such evidence is issued for consultation with interested parties, including national bird keeping organisations.
21`. (For keepers with more than 50 or more poultry only) On average, how long does it take you to fill in the compulsory registration form in order to register your birds? Not applicable
22. (For all bird keepers) How often does each species of bird kept on your premises change by an increase or decrease of more than 20% in a year?Answer as appropriate to your situation