{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/animal-welfare-import-of-dogs-cats-and-ferrets-act-2025/section-5",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/animal-welfare-import-of-dogs-cats-and-ferrets-act-2025/section-5.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2025/30",
  "legislation_title": "Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/animal-welfare-import-of-dogs-cats-and-ferrets-act-2025",
  "path": "section/5",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "5",
  "heading": "Disapplication of non-commercial rules in certain cases",
  "text": "(1) Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on the non-commercial movement of pet animals and repealing Regulation (EC) No 998/2003 is amended as follows.\n(2) In Article 3 (definitions)—\n(a) in point (a), at the end insert “(but see Articles 5 and 5A in relation to dogs, cats and ferrets)”;\n(b) in point (b), after “non-commercial movement” (in the first place it occurs) insert “(including movement that would be non-commercial movement but for Article 5 or 5A)”.\n(3) Omit Article 4.\n(4) In Article 5 (maximum number of pet animals)—\n(a) for paragraph 1 substitute—\n“1. For the purposes of this Regulation, a movement of pet animals of the species listed in Part A of Annex I (dogs, cats and ferrets) is not a non-commercial movement if the relevant maximum is exceeded at any time during the movement.\n1A. For the purposes of this Article, the relevant maximum is exceeded:\n(a) in a case where the animals are being moved in a motor vehicle (including a vehicle on board a train or ferry), if there are more than five animals of the species listed in Part A of Annex I in the vehicle;\n(b) in any other case, if there are more than three animals of the species listed in Part A of Annex 1 accompanying the owner or an authorised person.”;\n(b) in paragraph 2—\n(i) for the words before point (a), substitute “Paragraph 1 does not apply to a movement of pet animals if the following conditions are fulfilled:”;\n(ii) in point (a), omit “non-commercial”;\n(iii) in point (b), for “the authorised person” substitute “an authorised person”;\n(c) after paragraph 3 insert—\n“3A Paragraph 1 does not apply to a movement of pet animals if—\n(a) the appropriate authority determines that there are exceptional or compelling circumstances that justify the movement’s being treated as a non-commercial movement even if the relevant maximum is exceeded; and\n(b) the movement meets any conditions attached to the determination.”;\n(d) in paragraph 4, for the words from the beginning to “those pet animals” substitute “Where paragraph 1 applies and the relevant maximum is exceeded, the pet animals in question”;\n(e) at the end insert—\n“5A. In paragraph 1A, “motor vehicle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads.”\n(5) After Article 5 insert—\n“Movement of dogs, cats and ferrets to be within five days of owner\nArticle 5A 1 For the purposes of this Regulation, a movement of a pet animal of a species listed in Part A of Annex 1 (dogs, cats and ferrets) is not a non-commercial movement if the animal is not accompanied by the owner during the movement, unless—\n(a) the owner—\n(i) entered Great Britain earlier on the day on which the animal does so or at any time during the five days preceding that day; or\n(ii) is expected to enter Great Britain later on that day or at any time during the five days following that day; and\n(b) the authorised person who accompanies the animal during the movement provides evidence, to the appropriate authority’s satisfaction, as to when the owner entered or is expected to enter Great Britain.\n2 Paragraph 1 does not apply to a movement of a pet animal if—\n(a) the appropriate authority determines that there are exceptional or compelling circumstances that justify the movement’s being treated as a non-commercial movement even if—\n(i) the animal is not accompanied by the owner; and\n(ii) one or both of the conditions in paragraph 1(a) and (b) are not met; and\n(b) the movement meets any conditions attached to the determination.”\n(6) In Article 25 (format and content of identification document), in paragraph 3, omit “or the authorised person”.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": "prospective",
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 5 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 8(3)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/30/section/5",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T08:45:39.734662+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}