Animal Health & Welfare

We aim to protect the health and welfare of livestock and we have a policing role across the livestock industry in Somerset, which includes issuing and inspecting movement licences, and monitoring animal disease and welfare during transport and at markets. We actively investigate any serious breach of legislation and deal with many complaints and referrals each year, taking enforcement action against offenders (including prosecution in serious cases) where applicable.

Somerset County Council provides a comprehensive Animal Health and Welfare enforcement service covering the following areas:

• Animal Movement Licensing Call Centre
• Animal Health and Welfare Monitoring
• Livestock Records
• Mis-description and fraud involving farm animals

The County Council’s Animal Health and Welfare enforcement section works in close co-operation with the State Veterinary Service, other agencies of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Meat Hygiene Service, the British Cattle Movement Service, other Local Authorities and the Police.

For more information on Animal Health & Welfare, contact us (see right).