[Stronsaylimpet] Avian 'flu in Orkney!

[Limpet editor]

STRONSAY COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Chair: Shirley WhitemanVice Chair: Damian Stout


  AVIAN FLU

*Bird keepers urged to be vigilant as avian flu protection zone declared*

Orkney Islands Council’s animal welfare team is urging all bird keepers 
to be aware of their obligations following confirmation of cases of bird 
flu in Firth over the weekend.

A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone has been put in place 
by the Scottish Government in Firth, following confirmation of a highly 
pathogenic cases of avian flu at a property. The declaration, made on 
Sunday (30 October), is in operation until further notice.

The three kilometre Protection Zone takes in a small area of Finstown 
and the ten kilometre Surveillance Zone covers all of Kirkwall and Finstown.

Representatives from Animal Plant and Health Agency are due in Orkney to 
work with the affected premises.

Officers from OIC Trading Standards are erecting signage within the 
Protection Zone and Surveillance Zone and will assist with foot patrols 
within the Protection Zone to establish the number of premises where 
poultry are kept.

It is the second declaration in Orkney in recent weeks, following 
protection and surveillance zones being established around a property in 
Tankerness on 15 October.

Trading Standards Manager, Gary Foubsiter, heads up the Council’s animal 
welfare service – he urges bird owners around Orkney to be vigilant, and 
for anyone within the protection and surveillance zones announced 
yesterday to ensure they check their legal obligations and follow advice.

“With seasonal bird migrations this time of year we have sadly seen a 
rise in avian flu cases both in kept birds and wild bird populations.

“The exclusion and protection zones announced on Sunday brings with it 
the requirements for bird keepers around hygiene for anyone entering or 
leaving the property, record keeping, and restrictions on the movements 
of birds and eggs.

“We’d remind everyone who keeps birds that an Avian Influenza Prevention 
Zone is in force across Great Britain. This means it is a legal 
requirement for all bird keepers to follow strict biosecurity measures 
to protect their birds from bird flu.”

To find out more about the protection and surveillance zone in Firth, 
read the full declaration: 
https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-near-kirkwall-orkney-islands/ 
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.scot%2Fpublications%2Favian-influenza-near-kirkwall-orkney-islands%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw2_3VF5QOB-D5bv5LlZKSMt>

Biosecurity advice for all bird keepers is available on the Scottish 
Government website at 
https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu/pages/biosecurity/ 
<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.scot%2Fpublications%2Favian-influenza-bird-flu%2Fpages%2Fbiosecurity%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AOvVaw2mh9fVRN6zE1T0mY17zfAX> 


Anyone within the protection and surveillance zones unsure of their 
obligations after reading the guidance above can contact the Council’s 
Trading Standards team on trading-standards at orkney.gov.uk 
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/h/1ff0viqt7ntjg/?&cs=wh&v=b&to=trading-standards@orkney.gov.uk> 
or by calling 01856 873535.

Island Link Officer 01 Nov. 2022

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