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Live Poultry (Restrictions) Order 1971
Three Licences were issued under the terms of this Order, to enable the holding of poultry
exhibitions and shows by the West Essex Bantam Society at the Bethnal Green Institute, the
International Poultry Show at Olympia and the Dagenham Town Show at Central Park, Dagenham.
Inspections were carried out at these exhibitions to ensure that the terms and conditions of the
Order were conformed to.
In June, a contravention of this Order was discovered during a visit to Sclater Street Market,
concerning the sale of hens, chickens and ducks. The sale was prohibited and a report sent to the
local authority concerned.
The Royal Smithfield Show was visited in December and all livestock, floats, transport etc.,
was inspected. A full report was sent to the local authority.
Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925
Three certificates of registration were issued under the terms of this Act to enable persons
to train and exhibit horses, lions, leopards, elephants, tigers, dogs, monkeys, donkeys,
kangaroos and bears. Television studios, theatres, dolphinariums etc., were visited concerning
the use of performing animals in productions.
Three circuses were visited during the year. Cottle and Austen's Circus appeared in several
London Boroughs; the Circus Togni was situated in Richmond; Denning and Wild's Circus appeared
at a theatre at Charing Cross, London. All animals, performing animals certificates, quarters etc.
were inspected and performances witnessed. The circus at Charing Cross was visited on several
occasions as it was considered that the premises were not suitable for the keeping of animals and
some advice was given concerning positioning of cages, fire precautions etc.
Regulation of Movement of Swine Order 1959
Under the terms of this Order, animals moved under the authority of a licence to premises
other than a bacon factory or slaughterhouse, must be kept on the premises, separate from other
animals, for a period of 28 days. Animals moved to a bacon factory of slaughterhouse must be
detained there until slaughtered. 360 such licences were received and verified.
On two occasions the attention of transporters had to be drawn to the overcrowding of pigs being
transported to an abattoir, in contravention of the Transit of Animals (Amendment) Order 1931.
Post Mortems
Frequest requests were received for post mortem examinations to be carried out on animals which
arrived dead or died at slaughterhouses or were found dead on farms, public highways etc. During
the year such examinations were carried out on thirty pigs, three sheep, three calves and one goat.
Swine Vesicular Disease
The first outbreak of this disease occurred on the 11th December in Staffordshire and up to
the 31st December there had been thirty-four outbreaks. All of England south of Lancashire and
Yorkshire was declared to be a 'controlled area' which meant that pigs could only be moved under
controlled areas licences. The cause of the outbreaks are still being investigated, but is thought
to be infected swill. All owners of swill boiling plants have been contacted and informed of the
extreme precautions which must be taken.
Foot and Mouth Disease
Following confirmation of the above disease in two pigs at the Royal Veterinary College,
arrangements were made for the contact animals on the premises to be slaughtered and for the
carcases to be destroyed by burning. For this purpose, use was made of the flame guns owned by
by the Corporation. The animals destroyed consisted of a cow, calves, sheep and pigs.
Miscellaneous
Enquiries were carried out at a pet shop in the London Borough of Camden following a report
that five people were suffering from ringworm, said to have been caught from a cat purchased
from the shop. A full report was sent to the Borough.
In February, investigations were made concerning a case of yersinia in a child who may have
caught the disease from a hamster. A full report was submitted to the local authority.
Enquiries were carried out in March concerning the possibility of warfarin poisoning in a
dog which had died. Once again, a report was sent to the local authority.
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