Council issues advice to bird keepers

Cheshire West and Chester Council is urging all bird owners to register their birds and to be aware of the latest advice regarding bird flu (avian influenza).

All bird keepers are urged to remain vigilant and take action to protect their birds following a further increase in the bird flu risk levels in Great Britain.

The risk level of the HPAI H5 strain of bird flu in poultry where there is poor biosecurity has increased to medium with low uncertainty.

The risk level where good biosecurity is consistently applied remains assessed as low with low uncertainty and the risk level in wild birds remains assessed as high.

Practising good biosecurity at all times protects the health and welfare of your birds and for commercial keepers will help protect your business from bird flu and other diseases.

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Homes, Planning and Safer Communities, Councillor Christine Warner said:

“Like microchipping for dogs (and cats if you live in England), rules make it a legal requirement for everyone in Great Britain who keeps birds to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

“By sharing some simple information, such as your contact details, how many birds you keep and what kind of birds they are, you’ll help to improve the overall picture of where at-risk birds are located across Great Britain. This helps the APHA know where to focus its resources, as they work to prevent and mitigate the spread of notifiable animal disease outbreaks.

“This also means the APHA will be able to contact you if there’s a disease outbreak, such as bird flu, in your local area. This free service is a helpful ‘heads-up’ on when you should take extra precautions to protect your flock.”