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Confined establishments: approval conditions for captive birds

Updated 17 October 2022

You must get your premises approved as a confined establishment if you’re exporting captive birds to the EU and Northern Ireland. Read this guidance to find out what conditions your premises must meet to get approved.

Captive birds are any birds other than poultry that are kept in captivity for any reason. This can include for:

• breeding
• competitions
• display
• races
• selling

Poultry means birds that are bred, reared or kept in captivity for the production of:

• meat, eggs for consumption and other products
• restocking supplies of game birds

Birds from non-approved sources

Confined establishments that are approved to export captive birds to the EU must have suitable quarantine facilities to isolate birds entering from anywhere that is not an approved confined establishment. These are known as non-approved sources.

Quarantine means to keep animals so they have no direct or indirect contact with animals outside the epidemiological unit. The purpose of quarantine is to:

• stop one or more specified diseases from spreading while the animals in isolation are under observation for a specified length of time
• allow you to test and treat animals if appropriate

Isolation means to keep animals inside the confined establishment separated from other animals in the confined establishment.

You must quarantine birds from a non-approved source for at least their first 30 days in the confined establishment. An approved veterinarian (AV) must supervise and monitor the birds before adding them to the collection of birds in the confined establishment.

The AV will select ‘tier 1’ quarantine or ‘tier 2’ isolation based on where the birds originate from.

Birds originating from non-approved confined establishments in Great Britain (tier 1)

The AV will select tier 1 quarantine for birds originating from a non-approved confined establishment in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales). This is to protect the health of birds in the approved confined establishment.

All confined establishments for captive birds must meet the approval conditions listed in this guide.

Birds imported from non-approved confined establishments in EU and non-EU countries (tier 2)

The AV will select tier 2 isolation for birds imported from non-approved confined establishments in:

• EU and EFTA countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain
• non-EU countries approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain

This is to protect the health of birds in the approved confined establishment and biosecurity in Great Britain.

The premises do not have to meet tier 2 requirements to become a confined establishment.

You should meet tier 2 requirements for higher risk movements such as bringing birds from Higher Risk Areas (HRAs) into the confined establishment. The AV will tell you when a movement represents a higher risk for birds already in the confined establishment.

The tier 2 premises must also meet the approval conditions for tier 1 premises.

Facilities and equipment

The confined establishment must have:

• a clear boundary and be separated from its surroundings
• areas to confine and isolate injured or sick animals
• adequate quarantine facilities
• approved procedures for animals coming from non-approved confined establishments
• on-site facilities and equipment or off-site arrangements to dispose of dead animals

Record keeping

You must keep up-to-date records for at least 10 years.

Full bird inventory

Keep a record of every bird in the confined establishment.

Record the number of birds of each taxonomic order, family or species and their age, sex, species and individual identification number at the time of export.

Movement records

Keep records of the number of birds of each taxonomic order, family or species and their age, sex, species and individual identification number that arrive at and leave the confined establishment.

Record the:

• date that birds arrive and where they came from
• date that birds leave and their destination
• how they are transported
• whether the birds are free from disease, known as health status

Blood tests

Keep records of all blood tests and other diagnostic procedures you carry out on the birds.

Health records

Keep records of disease and treatment given.

Isolation and quarantine observations

Keep records of observations made on birds that have come from non-approved sources and are kept in isolation or quarantine. The AV will decide what conversations you need to record.

Post mortems

Keep records of the results of post mortems on birds that die in the confined establishment. This is evidence that birds have not died of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), Newcastle disease or avian chlamydiosis (in parrots).

Disease surveillance and control measures

The person responsible for the confined establishment must have adequate ability and knowledge.

You must ask an AV to:

• survey (or monitor) for disease and control disease
• notify the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) if they suspect deaths or the presence of any other symptoms that indicate highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu), Newcastle disease or avian chlamydiosis (in parrots)
• quarantine birds entering the confined establishment as necessary

Your disease surveillance and control measures for your confined establishment must include:

• an annual disease surveillance programme on any avian diseases of concern (HPAI, Newcastle disease and avian chlamydiosis), including appropriate zoonoses control
• clinical, laboratory and post-mortem testing of birds suspected to be affected by any avian diseases of concern
• vaccination of birds if appropriate (for example, against Newcastle disease), to meet the Terrestrial Animal Health Code and the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

You can contact APHA for advice on creating a disease surveillance programme in your confined establishment.

Health status

The confined establishment must be free from:

• HPAI
• infection with Newcastle disease virus
• avian chlamydiosis in parrots

To allow an APHA official veterinarian (OV) to assess the health status, you will need to provide the:

• health status records of birds kept for at least the previous 3 years
• results of the clinical and laboratory tests carried out on the birds collection

For new confined establishments, the approval can be based on the results of the clinical and laboratory tests carried out by the AV on the animals in the confined establishment.

You must either have:

• an arrangement with a laboratory to perform post-mortem examinations
• one or more appropriate premises to perform examinations by a competent person under the authority of the AV appointed for the premises by APHA

Building conditions for quarantine facilities

The quarantine facilities must be physically separate from other bird accommodation.

To prevent birds from escaping, you must use wire mesh, glass or resilient plastic barriers between any space containing quarantined birds. This includes corridors between cages.

Location and ventilation for tier 2 quarantine facilities

You should have a distance of 200 metres between tier 2 quarantine facilities and other bird accommodation.

If your tier 2 quarantine facility is less than 200 metres away from other bird accommodation you should keep the windows closed at all times. You can filter the air exhausted from quarantine rooms using:

• dust filters if the birds originate from Great Britain
• high efficiency particulate extraction (HEPA) filters if the birds do not originate from Great Britain - HEPA filters must meet British standard 3928 or an equivalent standard (penetration not greater than 0.003% when tested by the sodium flame test)

If your tier 2 quarantine facility is more than 200 metres from other bird accommodation, you can open windows. You must cover all windows and other ventilation openings such as ridge vents and extraction fans with 2 layers of wire mesh with a maximum size of 10 millimetres by 10 millimetres.

Boundaries

The limits of the quarantine unit must be clearly defined by walls or fences. You can use specific areas or pens that are not permanently constructed within the premises as quarantine units for a limited time.

Air space

If there are separate units within the quarantine facility, each unit must occupy a separate airspace to be an isolated epidemiological unit. If you cannot provide units with separate air space then all birds in quarantine are a single epidemiological unit. The quarantine period starts when the last bird is added to the group.

Access to the quarantine facilities

For tier 1 premises you must install a:

• lock on the door
• notice stating ‘QUARANTINE: no admission to unauthorised persons’

For tier 2 premises you must install a double door system with inward opening doors with enough space to allow one door to close before the other door is opened.

Hygiene barrier

You must provide facilities at the entry and exit point for staff to:

• change overalls
• change and disinfect boots
• wash their hands
• shower if appropriate

Loading and unloading

You must provide suitable facilities to load or unload birds between transport crates and quarantine pens without the risk of escape.

Equipment to restrain birds

You must provide suitable equipment within reasonable access of the quarantine unit to safely restrain birds for clinical and diagnostic procedures such as blood sampling.

Inspection

The design of the pens or cages within the quarantine unit must have adequate light and easy access so you can visually inspect the birds at any time.

Disinfection

The building structure and all equipment must be made of materials that can either be:

• effectively cleaned and disinfected
• destroyed at the end of the isolation period

Vermin control

The design of the building must minimise access from:

• rodents
• wild birds
• insects

You must fit rodent proof covers to drains and protect your feed store from vermin.

Waste storage and disposal

You must provide storage for waste produced during the isolation period. The storage must be bird and vermin proof.

You must dispose of the waste:

• with no risk of spreading disease
• in a way that meets animal by-products (ABP) guidance

Storing carcases for post-mortems

You must have storage facilities in your quarantine unit or nearby to keep carcases until they can be examined at a post-mortem. The AV will tell you how to transport carcases to the storage facility.

Management procedures for tier 1 and tier 2 facilities

Duration of isolation

Isolation should last for at least 30 days, unless a longer period is required for other reasons determined by the:

• Centre for International Trade - Carlisle (CITC)
• Head of Field Delivery (VHoFD), Veterinary Lead Scotland (VLS) or Veterinary Lead Wales (VLW) of the local APHA office or the AV

Surveillance

You must:

• visually inspect every bird in isolation at least once a day
• record and report signs of illness immediately to the AV
• only introduce birds into the bird collection in the approved confined establishment under the direction of the AV

The AV must closely monitor the health status of the birds in isolation or quarantine and examine birds showing signs of illness.

Staff

Trained staff must observe the birds at least once a day. Staff must follow procedures to make sure that they cannot transfer infection from the quarantine unit to any other animals. You must get the AV to agree to the arrangements in writing.

Hygiene

Staff entering the quarantine unit must always change into protective clothing and footwear.

When leaving the quarantine unit staff must:

• remove their overalls and footwear and leave them in the quarantine unit
• disinfect footwear

Equipment

You should not remove items from the quarantine unit or use them with other animals for the duration of the isolation period. You can remove items to destroy them.

Waste

Waste material must be:

• collected regularly
• stored in the containers provided by APHA
• disposed of during or after the isolation period without spreading disease agents and in accordance with ABP regulations

Disinfection

Your premises must have an effective programme for cleansing and disinfection before and after each isolation. Your AV must approve this programme in writing. You must use a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) approved disinfectant.

All-in, all-out policy

If you add new birds to a quarantine unit with birds already in isolation, the existing birds must stay in isolation for an additional 30 days. The isolation period starts from when the last bird enters the quarantine unit. The tier of isolation is dependent on:

• where the birds originate from

• the opinion of the AV on whether the movement represents a higher risk for birds already in the confined establishment

Illness or injuries during isolation - no notifiable disease

If birds become ill or injured during isolation but there is no suspicion of notifiable disease, you must move them to the dedicated isolation facility for sick birds.

An AV must supervise the move and make sure that:

• there is no risk of spreading disease
• the sick bird is kept in isolation conditions throughout the move
• any vehicles, rooms and equipment that came in contact with the diseased bird are disinfected

Death or suspicion of notifiable disease

If you suspect an avian notifiable disease or there are any deaths in isolation, you must inform the AV. The AV will report it to the VHoFD, VLS or VLW of the local APHA office.

If you suspect that a bird has died from a notifiable disease, either in isolation or is dead on arrival, you must send the carcass to APHA Weybridge.

Visitors

Visitors are not allowed to enter the quarantine facility.

Contractors can access the quarantine facility for essential maintenance. They must follow the hygiene barrier rules when entering and leaving the premises and sign the visitors book. The visitors book must contain a record of the:

• date
• name
• reason for visiting
• contact phone number

Records

You must keep records for the quarantine unit that show:

• the date, number and identification of birds entering and leaving the quarantine facility
• significant health observations, cases of illness and deaths
• test results and the dates they took place
• types of treatments and the dates of when they were performed
• names of persons attending the quarantine unit, their contact phone number and the date of their visit

You must keep the records for 10 years.

Contact

For support, contact APHA’s animal exports team.