Relaxation of bird flu control measures

The requirement to house or fully net poultry in higher risks areas – introduced in February to minimise the risk of them catching avian flu from wild birds – will be relaxed on Thursday 13 April.

Hartlepool was classed as a higher risk area and this meant that local poultry keepers have needed to keep their birds indoors or protected from contact with wild birds within fully netted outdoor areas, pens, cages or aviaries.

Despite the removal of the requirement to house birds, poultry keepers in Hartlepool must continue to implement the enhanced bio security measures Defra also introduced in February. This includes taking steps to reduce the risk to their birds, including minimising movement in and out of bird enclosures, cleaning footwear, keeping areas where birds live clean and tidy and feeding birds indoors.

Jane Kett, Environmental Health Manager (Commercial Services) at Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “The Defra announcement that all poultry are to be allowed outside will be good news to anyone in Hartlepool who keeps birds such as chickens, ducks and geese.

“The decision to lift the housing requirement is based on the latest scientific evidence and veterinary advice, which concludes that the level of risk to poultry in higher risk areas such as Hartlepool has now reduced to the same level as that across the rest of England.

“I would, however, like to remind poultry keepers in the town that they must continue to implement the enhanced bio security measures Defra introduced in February.”

The removal of the requirement to house birds is because of changes in the wild bird population. The majority of overwintering migratory birds have now left the UK, and resident wild waterfowl are at their lowest levels and entering the breeding season when they become less likely to move long distances to forage for food.

More information is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu or by calling Hartlepool Council’s Trading Standards Team on (01429) 523352.