Movement of animals

In the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth outbreak, a rigorous regime of licensing has been introduced to control the movement of a range of animals.

The most common animals whose movements have to be licensed are sheep, pigs and cows.

The conditions which apply to these movements vary according to the type of animal, the destination and the type of trip. In addition, these conditions are constantly being altered – so it is important that you make yourself aware of the latest conditions when applying for an animal movement licence.

The licences can be obtained from your local Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) office.  All the information regarding the conditions are available from DEFRA's website.

Under certain conditions, all you need to do is to complete the licence and forward copies to the council's health and safety department.