New EU Laws to classify chickens a farm livestock?

[Libbynugget]

A recent expensive trip to the vet to have one of my Warrens put to sleep yielded the slightly odd-sounding bit of information from the vet that chickens - pets or otherwise - are to be classed as farm livestock under EU law, meaning you won't be able to bury them on your own land and will have to pay the vet or a fallen livestock collector to dispose of them.

Anyone have any info on this? I've had a dig around on the DEFRA website, but to no avail!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Libbynugget, I don’t know where you re, I assume in Europe somewhere, but we get this type of thing over here in the US of A all the time. Rumors get started where supposedly a gardener can’t even save their own seeds, maybe you have to tag all your animals, or you can’t keep backyard chickens anymore because of some law the federal government is passing. I put zero faith in those until I can see the proposed legislation and read it for myself.

If you do find the proposed legislation, look at the definitions and exemptions. You’ll quickly see for yourself that that stuff doesn’t apply to anyone other than the really big companies. Most small businesses and on down to individuals are exempt.

One of the classics here in the US of A was a Senate bill that was going to ban backyard chickens. I looked it up. That proposed law only applied to interstate commerce, it exempted small businesses and people keeping things for their own use, and it applied to CATTLE. It even has a very clear statement in it that it DID NOT apply to poultry. Yet people on this forum were getting all upset that the federal government that had no jurisdiction inside the individual States was going to ban backyard chickens.

There was another one on a different forum where the EU was going to prevent people from saving their own seeds in their backyard gardens. At least that one had a link to a real proposal. It was more on how companies selling seeds or started had to label those seeds or plants, for example if they were GMO that had to be shown. Looking at the definitions and exemptions, that was for companies selling internationally within the EU and larger research companies. It even had language in it that said to exempt regional commerce. That meant Farmer’s Markets and roadside stands.

This one smells just as bad. There is no way to enforce it and it just makes no sense as far as EU-wide. I could see where a city may ban this inside a small urban back yard, but EU–wide? Get real.

 

[Libbynugget]

Thanks for your ten cents

The only reason I gave the rumour any credibility was because it was from the only avian vet in the area. Considering she charged me £80 to put my hen to sleep, I reckon she was just touting for extra business by making out I couldn't take the old girl home to euthanise her and bury her myself.

I live on a cattle farm, and I know it's enough of a pain in the bum to keep cattle passports up to date. I just don't think it would be possible with chickens!!!