Publication
Animal Welfare - Approval and Registration of Dealers
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Under the European Communities (Approval and Registration of Dealers of Bovine Animals and Swine) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 151 of 2007) and the European Communities (Approval and Registration of Dealers of Ovine Animals) Regulations 2008 (S.I.100 of 2008) all dealers engaged in the buying and selling of animals must be registered.
In the case of cattle and pigs a dealer is defined as a person who purchases and sells to another person within a period of 30 days. A person who buys and resells within 30 days less than 100 cattle in any 12 month period will be excluded from the requirements to be approved as a dealer.
In the case of sheep a dealer is defined as a person who purchases and sells to another person within a period of 29 days. A person who buys and resells within 29 days less than 100 sheep in any 12 month period will similarly be considered to be excluded from the requirements to be approved as a dealer.
All dealers engaged must be approved and registered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It is not permitted for a person to buy/acquire/source an animal from or sell/supply/dispose of an animal to a dealer unless the dealer is approved, registered and in possession of a current approval number under the aforementioned legislation. In addition if a dealer is assembling/holding animals, he/she must have premises, which has been approved for that specific purpose.
A person who resides outside the State, who buys animals in the State on his or her own account;
A person, who selects or bids for animals (on a commission or per head basis) exclusively on behalf of others (e.g. dealers, factories, or private individuals) but who does not buy and pay for the animals, is excluded from the definition of a dealer and therefore is not required to be approved as a dealer.
The legislation requires those who register as dealers and to comply with arrangements relating to the welfare and transport of animals, standards and the upkeep of premises, keeping of records and compliance with animal notification and disease testing procedures.
Each dealer must make a written application for approval and registration as a dealer in respect of each premises used for his/her dealing operations. The written application(s) shall be made to the local District Veterinary Office (DVO) of the Department in which the premises are situated. (See list of DVOs at appendix 1B). If the application is for approval as dealer without premises, the written application should be made to the DVO in the County where the dealer is resident or carries out most of the dealing operations. Two passport photographs of the dealer signed and stamped by the local Garda or Peace Commissioner must accompany each application.