Farm Animal Welfare Legislation - Find a freedom of information request

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ('the Act') to please request the following information in relation to farm animal species only during the year of 2020:

1. Do you enforce farmed animal welfare legislation?

a. If not why? e.g. no farms, a different local authority does.

b. If a different local authority enforces this legislation in your area, please inform us which one?

2. How many welfare complaints did you receive in relation to the following:

a. On-farm animal welfare;

b. Welfare at markets; and,

c. Welfare during transport?

d. Welfare at a border post?

3. How many welfare complaints did you investigate in relation to the following:

a. On-farm animal welfare;

b. Welfare at markets; and,

c. Welfare during transport?

d. Welfare at a border post?

4. How many prosecution proceedings did you commence for offences named in the Animal Welfare Act 2006?

a. Of those proceedings, how many resulted in a successful prosecution?

5. How many improvement notices did you serve under section 10 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for failures to comply with section 9(1) of that Act?

6. How many prosecution proceedings did you commence for offences named in Section 7 of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007?

a. Of those proceedings, how many resulted in a successful prosecution?

7. How many compliance notices were issued by your inspectors for failures to comply with the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006?

8. How many prosecution proceedings did you commence for offences named in the Welfare of Animals at Markets Order 1990?

a. Of those proceedings, how many resulted in a successful prosecution?

9. How many individuals subject to any of the above enforcement action had previously committed an animal welfare offence?

10.How many people do you employ to carry out farm animal welfare inspections as part of their duties?

a. How many farm animal welfare inspections did they complete?

11.How many people do you employ to carry out enforcement of the Animal Health Act 1981 as part of their duties?

1. Yes.

2.

a. 58.

b. Five.

c. 237 - This includes abattoir referrals (may relate to animals dead on arrival, heavily pregnant bovines, etc.) as well as catching damage (relating to poultry). May not always be as a result of transport.

d. N/A.

3.

a. 58 - All complaints are assessed in order to determine if welfare issues alone, if so these matters are referred to the Duty Vet at the Animal and Plant Health Authority (APHA). They will lead on these but may require Trading Standards to accompany any visits. If other matters are identified alongside welfare complaints, such as deadstock or disease, Trading Standards will allocate these are urgent for investigation. 25 - All dead stock complaints are assessed for welfare issues and disease risk.

b. Five.

c. 237.

d. N/A.

4. One.

a. One.

5. Zero.

6. One – as above.

a. One – as above.

7. Zero.

8. Zero.

a. Zero.

9. One.

10.All staff are generalist officers and as such all are employed to enforce the Animal Health Act.

Number of dedicated animal health and welfare staff (FTE):

• Trading Standards Officer, FTE = 27.12
• Animal Health qualified FTE's = 13.25

a. 68 - Numbers were lower than normal due to Covid-19 restrictions.

11.All staff are generalist officers and as such all are employed to enforce the Animal Health Act.

Number of dedicated animal health and welfare staff (FTE):

• Trading Standards Officer, FTE = 27.12
• Animal Health qualified FTE's = 13.25