Explanatory note

This Order introduces controls on equine viral arteritis in horses. The Order requires the Department to be notified where a person knows or has reasonable grounds to suspect that a mare which has been served either naturally or by way of artificial insemination within the previous 14 days or a stallion is or may be affected with equine viral arteritis or that a stallion is a carrier of the virus of the disease. It also requires notification where a person reasonably suspects that the disease or the virus exists following analysis of samples of serum or semen (Article 3).

The Order makes provision for certain restrictions and requirements to be imposed on stallions in which the disease or the virus exists or is suspected to exist and on their semen (Article 4) and for a veterinary inquiry to be carried out to ascertain the existence of disease or the virus.

The Order provides that the name and location of any stallion which has been confirmed as being, or within the previous 56 days as having been diseased or carrying the virus may be published by the Department. Where a veterinary inquiry to establish the presence of disease has been postponed at the request of the owner of a stallion the Department may publish the name and address of that stallion and the fact that the presence of disease is suspected (Article 6).

Where such details have been published, on finding that the disease or the virus does not, or no longer exists in the stallion, that finding shall also be published (Article 6).

Any person who without lawful authority, or excuse, proof of which shall lie on him, contravenes any provision of this Order shall be guilty of an offence against the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. The penalty on summary conviction for such an offence is a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (currently £5,000).