Bird keepers urged to be vigilant as avian flu protection zone announced

Orkney Islands Council’s animal welfare team is urging all bird keepers to be aware of their obligations following confirmation of cases of bird flu in Firth over the weekend.

A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone has been put in place by the Scottish Government in Firth, following confirmation of a highly pathogenic cases of avian flu at a property. The declaration, made on Sunday (30 October), is in operation until further notice.

The three kilometre Protection Zone takes in a small area of Finstown and the ten kilometre Surveillance Zone covers all of Kirkwall and Finstown.

Representatives from Animal Plant and Health Agency are due in Orkney to work with the affected premises.

Officers from OIC Trading Standards are erecting signage within the Protection Zone and Surveillance Zone and will assist with foot patrols within the Protection Zone to establish the number of premises where poultry are kept.

It is the second declaration in Orkney in recent weeks, following protection and surveillance zones being established around a property in Tankerness on 15 October.

Trading Standards Manager, Gary Foubister, heads up the Council’s animal welfare service – he urges bird owners around Orkney to be vigilant, and for anyone within the protection and surveillance zones announced yesterday to ensure they check their legal obligations and follow advice.

“With seasonal bird migrations this time of year we have sadly seen a rise in avian flu cases both in kept birds and wild bird populations.

“The exclusion and protection zones announced on Sunday brings with it the requirements for bird keepers around hygiene for anyone entering or leaving the property, record keeping, and restrictions on the movements of birds and eggs.

“We’d remind everyone who keeps birds that an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone is in force across Great Britain. This means it is a legal requirement for all bird keepers to follow strict biosecurity measures to protect their birds from bird flu.”

To find out more about the protection and surveillance zone in Firth, read the full declaration.

Biosecurity advice for all bird keepers is available on the Scottish Government website.

Anyone within the protection and surveillance zones unsure of their obligations after reading the guidance above can contact the Council’s Trading Standards team by email or by calling 01856 873535.