It’s likely that if you are reading this article then you are a hen keeper, in which case it is important you register your pets before 1st October 2024 in England and Wales.
The deadline is approaching after which it will be law to have any kept birds registered with Animal and Plant Health Agency, Defra. If you live in Scotland, the deadline is 1st December 2024.
Contrary to some hen keepers’ beliefs, the intention behind this new law is to keep your hens safe from outbreaks of diseases such as avian influenza. In a similar way to microchipping our cats and dogs, registering your hens means you will be contacted in the event of a disease outbreak, allowing you to take steps to protect your hens.
How do you register?
Registering your hens is free to do and simply involves sharing some details such as your contact information, how many birds you keep and what breed. As well as helping you to know when there’s been a disease outbreak, this new register helps build a picture of the number of birds kept as pets around the UK – something which will be of huge value to us as a charity too.
We have long known that hens are one of the UK’s most popular pets, and having firmer numbers will only be a good thing when it comes to improving veterinary care for these birds, so we do encourage all hen keepers to register ahead of the deadline.
How will your information be used?
Defra has confirmed hen keepers’ data will be used in compliance with GDPR rules and only shared with those involved in response to a disease outbreak. They will be able to contact you to notify you of an outbreak and let you know the precautions to take to protect your flock.
For example, in a 10km Surveillance Zone surrounding a confirmed case of notifiable animal disease, most keepers will just be sent information and guidance. Most premises within the 3km Protection Zone will receive a veterinary inspection to provide reassurance that their birds are fit and healthy. This is carried out at no cost to the hen keeper.
We know some of our supporters have expressed worries with this change, but it is vital we all play our part in preventing the spread of disease to protect all our backyard flocks. We would therefore please urge all hen keepers to register their details with APHA, Defra ahead of the relevant deadlines above.
