I request the following information in relation to farm animal species only during the year of 2020:
1. Do you enforce farmed animal welfare legislation?
Yes
a. if not why? e.g. no farms, a different local authority does
b. if a different local authority enforces this legislation in your area, please inform us which one?
Not applicable
2. How many welfare complaints did you receive in relation to the following:
| On-farm animal welfare | 110 |
| Welfare at markets | 6 |
| Welfare during transport | 142 |
| Welfare at a border post | 0 |
3. How many welfare complaints did you investigate in relation to the following:
| On-farm animal welfare | 98 |
| Welfare at markets | 6 |
| Welfare during transport | 112 |
| Welfare at a border post | 0 |
4. How many prosecution proceedings did you commence for offences named in the Animal Welfare Act 2006? 2
a. Of those proceedings, how many resulted in a successful prosecution?
2
5. How many improvement notices did you serve under section 10 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for failures to comply with section 9(1) of that Act?
We have not issued any Notices in the time period. Although Section 10 Notices are open to Local Authority inspectors they are more commonly issued by Animal Health and Plant Agency, who may hold information about the areas we cover.
6. How many prosecution proceedings did you commence for offences named in Section 7 of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007?
None
a. Of those proceedings, how many resulted in a successful prosecution?
Not applicable
7. How many compliance notices were issued by your inspectors for failures to comply with the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006?
None
8. How many prosecution proceedings did you commence for offences named in the Welfare of Animals at Markets Order 1990?
None
a. Of those proceedings, how many resulted in a successful prosecution?
Not applicable
9. How many individuals subject to any of the above enforcement action had previously committed an animal welfare offence?
We do not hold this information
10. How many people do you employ to carry out farm animal welfare inspections as part of their duties?
We do not have staff solely dedicated to Animal Welfare. Enforcement of this legislation is not a duty of the Local Authority, however Enforcement of the Animal Health Act 1981 is. In 2020 the Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards service employed 70 (FTE 64.1) Trading Standards Officers and managers who are authorised under both Animal Health and Welfare legislation. These staff have a variety of duties. Inspection of farm premises is primarily the responsibility of the “Business Support and Innovation” team who have 26 Trading Standards Officers authorised under the legislation. Investigative work in this area may also be conducted by the “Intelligence and Investigations” team.
a. How many farm animal welfare inspections did they complete?
In 2020 there were 84 visits which met the criteria. 45 were the result of complaints the rest may be regarded as proactive. 32 were marked as non-compliant.
A range of actions resulted: written advice; service warning; simple caution and prosecution. Some of these actions are ongoing.
11. How many people do you employ to carry out enforcement of the Animal Health Act 1981 as part of their duties?
Refer to our response in question 10 above