Animal health and welfare
There is a wide range of legislation in the UK designed to protect the health and welfare of both domesticated and wild animals.
Our responsibilities
We are responsible for:
- inspecting farms, markets and slaughterhouses
- carrying out livestock vehicle checks
- inspecting and sampling feeding stuff
- responding to notifiable animal disease outbreaks
We also enforce animal health and welfare legislation by licensing:
- pet shops
- cat and dog boarding premises
- riding schools
- dog breeding establishments
- dangerous wild animals
- zoos
Information for livestock keepers
The Business Companion website from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute provides expert guidance relating to farm animal health and welfare, including your responsibilities as a livestock keeper.
Notifiable diseases
You are legally obligated to report suspected or confirmed notifiable diseases in animals to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
A list of notifiable diseases on which the government has published guidance is available on GOV.UK.
Bird flu (avian influenza)
Bird flu can cause severe disease and high death rates in captive birds and poultry. This can impact on the production of meat and eggs.
As of 25 January 2025, South Gloucestershire is within the Avian Influenza Protection Zone (AIPZ) which has been declared across England.
Find more information and links to GOV.UK guidance and regulations on our bird flu webpage.
Bluetongue
Bluetongue is a disease that can affect cattle, sheep, goats, deer, alpacas and llamas. It does not affect people or food safety.
As of 1 July 2025, the restricted zone for bluetongue has been extended to cover the whole of England. You can move animals within England without a specific bluetongue movement licence or pre-movement testing.
To move animals into Wales or Scotland, further rules apply. Read the latest information about the current rules on GOV.UK.
Keepers should maintain good biosecurity and remain vigilant for signs of disease.
Check disease control zone areas on Defra’s interactive map.
You can find out the latest news, information and guidance about bluetongue on GOV.UK.
Our animal welfare charter
Our charter was introduced in 1998. It was created to reflect the concerns of local people who care about animal welfare and any cruel treatment, abuse, or neglect of animals.