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63
PET ANIMALS ACT, 1951
During the year 20 licences were renewed and three new licences
were granted, 49 inspections were made and little cause for complaint
relating to conditions specified in the licences was found.
DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACT
During the latter part of the year the serious and widespread outbreak
of foot and mouth disease in the North and Midlands resulted in
the restriction of movement of animals in all parts of the country, except
under licence. Extensive enquiries are made into each application for a
movement licence and only such movements as may be proved necessary
are permitted in order to minimise the risk of spreading the disease. Close
contact has been maintained with local farmers and pig keepers to ensure
that all possible precautionary measures are maintained and the utmost
diligence is still being exercised in this matter.
No case of contagious animal disease was reported within theBorough
during the year. In such cases action is taken in conjunction
with officers of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to provide
against the spread of the disease. Regular visits are made by district
inspectors to premises where animals are kept to ensure that precautionary
measures and a high standard of cleanliness are maintained.
PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY PESTS ACT, 1949
This Act is mainly concerned with the destruction of rats and mice
and places a duty upon the occupier of any premises to report to the
Local Authority any infestation by such rodents. Three rodent operatives
are employed full time to deal with complaints.
During the year 3,472 premises were inspected following complaint
and in 3,400 instances infestation was confirmed and dealt with by the
rodent operatives. In addition, 48 premises were inspected for reasons
other than complaint. Regular inspections are made of premises where
food is prepared or sold and particular attention is given to methods of
prevention of rodent infestation. Corporation owned premises, including
sewage works, depots, school kitchens and serveries etc. are periodically
inspected for the presence of rodents and appropriate action taken if the
premises are infested.
Recent evidence indicates that there is no heavy rat infestation of
the Corporation's foul water sewers and, in order to provide a more economical
and effective treatment of such sewers, the practice of "test baiting''
a percentage of manholes has been discontinued. Treatment now consists
of baiting each manhole in an area with an adequate quantity of poison obviating
the need for subsequent visits. A total of 652 manholes were treated
in this way during the year and further treatments are planned to cover the
whole Borough. Treatments have also been carried out in two areas where
sewer infestations were suspected.