Plan and control the movement of animals

1. work professionally and ethically and within the limits of your authority, expertise, training, competence and experience

2. comply with the relevant animal health and welfare and animal-related legislation, associated codes of practice and organisational policies

3. confirm that risks to the health and safety of yourself, all those involved in, or affected by your work and that of the animals being moved, are identified and minimised

4. plan for the movement of animals, considering the reasons for the move

5. assess the fitness of the animals to be moved between locations

6. check the availability of a suitable location or accommodation to which the animals can be moved

7. assess the new location to confirm that it meets the animals' requirements

8. select a suitable route (shortest, safest, smoothest) to the new location

9. select and implement relevant hygiene and bio-security measures and check that they are maintained

10. identify the relevant method for moving the animals and the necessary equipment, including transport, required

11. confirm the availability of resources, including staff, required for the safe completion of the movement of animals

12. communicate the movement plan to all those involved to ensure that the animal’s welfare is maintained and the risks to those affected by the movement are reduced

13. prepare and follow contingency plans for the movement of animals, if required

14. control the movement of animals without compromising the health, safety and well-being of the animal or other animals in the vicinity

15. confirm that animals are established in their new accommodation after moving and that the animals' requirements have been met

16. monitor and control the implementation of the movement plans

17. respond to unplanned reasons for the movement of animals and monitor the movement

18. confirm that records are maintained and stored, as required by the relevant legislation and organisational policy

1. your professional and the limits of your own authority, expertise, training, competence and experience

2. your responsibilities under the relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, risk assessment, associated codes of practice and organisational policies

3. your responsibilities under the relevant animal health and welfare and animal-related legislation, associated codes of practice and organisational policies

4. how to assess the risks involved with the movement of animals and how to minimise them

5. the reason for the animals to be moved and how this may affect the movement plan

6. how to assess the suitability of the location to which the animals will be moved and the factors affecting the choice of route for movement

7. the methods relevant for controlling the movement of animals and the required equipment

8. the importance of implementing the correct hygiene and bio-security measures and how these can be achieved

9. the resources required, including staff, to control the movement of animals

10. the staff competencies needed for controlling animal movement

11. the importance of communicating the movement plan to all those involved in, or affected by, the activity

12. how to assess the health of the animals to be moved and how this may affect their movement and the method used

13. the types of physical and behavioural conditions that may affect the movement of animals

14. the specific needs of the animal you are moving, before, during and after movement and how to recognise these needs by observing changes in their behaviour

15. how environmental conditions may affect the movement of animals as well as the method of movement

16. how movement can impact on the health and welfare of animals

17. the range of handling and restraint methods relevant to the animals being moved

18. the different methods of identification used for animals and which methods are relevant for the animal to be moved

19. the ways by which animals can be established after moving and the requirements that must be met

20. the circumstances that may dictate the need to change the movement plan; including immediately and in the long-term

21. the circumstances that may require the unplanned movement of animals

22. the records that need to be kept in relation to planning and controlling the movement of animals and the importance of completing these in accordance with the relevant legislation and organisational policy

Current animal welfare legislation:

• England and Wales, Animal Welfare Act

• Scotland, Animal Health and Welfare Act

• Northern Ireland, Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland)