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DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACT 1950 & ASSOCIATED ACTS
Mr. G.S. Wiggins M.R.C.V.S. Veterinary Officer for the City of London, has submitted the
following report:—
In submitting my report for 1967 it is with the knowledge that two full years have elapsed
since, under the terms of the London Government Act 1963, the Corporation became the Authority
for the administration of the Diseases of Animals Act in regard to the importation of animals for
the whole of the Greater London Area. For the remainder of the functions of the Disease of
Animals Act and Associated Acts the Corporation acts for a number of the London Boroughs on
an agency basis. During the year the London Boroughs of Camden and Bexley joined the scheme,
making a total of 18 Boroughs for whom the City accepts responsibility for work necessary under
the above Acts.
Work carried out under the various Acts and Orders comprised the following:—
Riding Establishments Act 1964
Riding Establishments in the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth,
Kensington & Chelsea, Barking, Sutton, Richmond upon Thames, Bromley and the City of Westminster
were visited, the premises inspected and reports submitted to the various Authorities
concerned. 37 establishments in all were recommended for re-licencing for a further year.
Pet Animals Act 1951
Although the Corporation act for the Boroughs under the above Act, in most cases it is only
in a consultative capacity. Several requests were made, from those Boroughs however, for assistance
in dealing with complaints from members of the public concerning animals etc. and advice
was sought in three instances in dealing with cases of people suffering from psittacosis. Quarterly
routine visits were carried out to pet shops in the Boroughs of Wandsworth, Sutton, Richmond
upon Thames, and Tower Hamlets, the latter including Club Row, the Sunday morning street market.
Animal Boarding Lstablishments Act 1963
A similar arrangement is carried out as with the Pet Animals Act, routine visits being made
as required. Twenty seven such establishments were regularly visited with a view to suitability
for re-licencing, an increase of fourteen over 1966.
Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925
Four applications were received for certificates of registration, or variations of registration,
from a number of organisations having performing animals in their productions. These were duly
issued.
A visit was made to Billy Smart's Circus, when appearing at Clapham Common. All the
animals and their living quarters were inspected and a performance of the circus was witnessed.
Animals (Sea Transport) Order, 1930
Under the terms of the above Order visits were made, in respect of the exportation of animals,
to the South West India, London and Millwall Docks to ensure that the terms and conditions of
this Order were complied with. The animals concerned comprised 34 cattle, 25 pigs, 6 sheep,
2 calves and 2 horses and were exported, mostly for breeding purposes, to destinations as varied
as South Africa, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Malta and Cyprus.
Issue of Export Certificates
To enable firms to export all kinds of meat products, game and other merchandise, a total of
86 health certificates were issued comprising such varied commodities as pheasants, partridges,
wild ducks, wood pigeon, hares,grouse,ducklings, turkeys, ox tongues, lamb tongues, steakburgers,
beefburgers, boneless lamb, horse meat, sheep casings, lambskins, hatters' fur. A total of
£298. 4s. lOd. was received for this service compared with £351. 8s. 5d. for the previous year
mainly due to a shortage of game and restrictions on shooting imposed because of Foot and Mouth
disease.
In July, at the requestofHarvey's Belgravia Foods Ltd. a visit was made to their new factory
in Cambridgeshire, to inspect as to its suitability for theproeessing of meat products for export.
An appropriate charge was made for this service.
Diseases of Animals Act — I mportations
It was necessary to visit London Airport (Heathrow) on numerous occasions throughout the
year in connection with the illegal entry of dogs and cats into this country, i.e. arriving without
the Ministry of Agriculture's import licence. 147 notices were served on owners of such animals
directing them to remove them to quarantine kennels.
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