Animal welfare in transport
What you must do to protect the welfare of animals during transport.
Applies to England
When transporting any animals, you must:
- plan the journey properly and keep it as short as possible
- make sure the animals are fit to travel
- check the animals during the journey to make sure you meet their needs for water, feed and rest
- use a vehicle which is designed and constructed to avoid injury and suffering
- maintain and operate the vehicle to avoid injury and suffering
- use loading and unloading facilities which are designed and constructed to avoid injury and suffering
- maintain and operate loading and unloading facilities to avoid injury and suffering
- make sure anyone handling the animals is trained in the task
- give the animals enough floor space and height
You must not transport animals in a way that is likely to cause injury or unnecessary suffering to them.
You must look after your animals’ welfare during extreme weather conditions. Read the guidance on how to care for animals in severe hot or cold weather, floods or drought.
Hiring a transporter to move animals
If you contract or subcontract someone to transport animals, you must make sure they hold a transporter authorisation for the species of animal you want to transport. An authorised transporter should make their documents available to view.
For journeys over 8 hours, you can check if they are on the list of type 2 authorised transporters. The list is updated monthly.
Report an animal welfare in transport offence
You can report an offence or concern to your local trading standards office.
Telephone the police on 101 for urgent assistance.
Enforcement
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) regulates commercial transporters. If you break animal welfare rules, APHA can take action that can include suspending or revoking transporter authorisations. APHA works with trading standards officials who are able to take appropriate enforcement action up to and including prosecution.
Vehicle cleaning and disinfecting
If you’re transporting livestock or poultry, your vehicle must be cleaned and disinfected as soon as possible after unloading. You must clean and disinfect the vehicle within 24 hours or before the vehicle is next used for carrying livestock or poultry, whichever is the soonest.
If you’re transporting horses, your vehicle must be cleaned before loading and, where necessary, disinfected.
Cleaning your vehicle
Remove:
- any food or water which animals have had access to
- litter or bedding
- faeces, urine and any other material of animal origin
- mud and other contaminants
Clean the vehicle with water, steam or, where appropriate, chemicals or chemical compounds until it is free of dirt.
Disinfecting your vehicle
You must use a Defra-approved disinfectant for routine cleaning of livestock transport vehicles and abattoir vehicles.
Find out which disinfectant to use and how to use it.
Transporting animals in connection with an economic activity
If you’re involved in transporting live vertebrate animals in connection with an economic activity in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), you must meet further requirements. This includes journeys where animals will be entering or leaving Great Britain.
Find out what documents you need, and records you must keep, to meet animal welfare in transport requirements when:
You cannot export live cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or horses for fattening or slaughter. This applies to journeys from or through Great Britain to anywhere outside the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man.
Definitions
‘Live vertebrate animals’ are any animal with a spine. This guidance will use the term ‘animals’ unless referring to a specific breed or species.
An ‘economic activity’ is when you provide a product or service for a commercial purpose (for example, in exchange for money). This includes, but is not limited to:
- transporters
- livestock and equine hauliers
- farmers
- traders
- assembly centres
- slaughterhouses
- commercial pet breeders and rescue organisations
- pet couriers and taxis (including where pets are accompanied by their owner)
- zoos and leisure parks
- professional horse riders
A ‘journey’ begins at the place of departure and ends at the place of destination. It includes all stops, and any instances where animals are loaded, unloaded, or rested.
The maximum length of time an animal can legally travel will depend on their species and condition. Once this time has been reached, the animals must be rested at an approved control post for a period of at least 24 hours before travelling further.
You’re responsible for making sure the animals have been properly rested, with access to appropriate amounts of food and water, before a journey begins or resumes.
The guidance on transporting animals in connection with an economic activity does not apply if you’re:
- transporting animals directly to, or from, a veterinary practice or clinic, under the advice of a vet
- a farmer moving livestock in an agricultural vehicle, or your own means of transport, from one grazing ground to another
- a farmer transporting your own animals in your own means of transport less than 50km from your holding
Updates to this page
Last updated 14 October 2024 + show all updates
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Updated information about enforcement in the 'report an animal welfare in transport offence' section. Also updated the 'transporting animals in connection with an economic activity' section to reflect that you cannot export live cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or horses for fattening or slaughter.
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First published.