Ban on international pigeon racing to be lifted

The ban on pigeon racing from Western Europe will be lifted on 1st April 2007, Defra announced today.

A ban on pigeon racing from outside the British Isles was originally imposed in October 2005 (apart from a brief lower risk period in June to August 2006) following a veterinary risk assessment.

The end of the higher risk autumn migration and over-wintering period, coupled with the absence of evidence of disease in wild birds in Europe, has led to a revised veterinary risk assessment which has informed the decision to lift the ban from 1st April 2007.

Pigeon racing from Western Europe will still be subject to the existing conditions on domestic races of notifying in advance, record keeping and biosecurity. There will be an additional requirement for all returning birds to be kept in isolation from other birds for seven days. Birds should also be regularly inspected for signs of disease.

All restrictions, including on bird gatherings, in Suffolk and Norfolk following the outbreak of avian influenza in turkeys were lifted on 12 March in line with European legislation. Epidemiological investigations have found little evidence of the involvement of wild birds in that outbreak and there have been no cases detected in wild birds in Europe since August.

Defra will keep the risk assessment under constant review and would consider new restrictions if the avian influenza disease situation in wild birds changes.

Debby Reynolds, Chief Veterinary Officer, said:

“The lifting of the ban on pigeon racing from 1st April is an appropriate response to our assessment of the level of risk of disease from wild birds. However we are keeping this risk under review and there is a constant low-level risk of avian influenza. Therefore I urge all bird owners and pigeon racers to be vigilant and maintain high standards of biosecurity.”

As you are aware we have revised our veterinary risk assessment on whether to allow pigeon racing from the continent back to England.

We are reaching the end of the higher-risk migration and overwintering period and in the absence of evidence of disease in wild birds in Europe since August 2006, international pigeon racing will be permitted from France, the Channel Islands, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany with effect from 1 April 2007.

The following additional conditions, which will be incorporated into the general licence must be adhered to:

*    All the general licence conditions for other types of bird gatherings under the general licence will apply, including a requirement to notify the SVS seven days before a race, keep records and adhere to strict biosecurity. Defra must also be notified of all liberation sites;

*    All pigeons returning from races outside the British Isles must be isolated from other birds for 7 days i.e. they must not come into physical contact with other birds and appropriate biosecurity measures (such as hand washing and laundering clothing) must be followed further to handler contact with other birds.  This would prevent the same birds or their contacts being raced every week.  This period would increase to 3 weeks if pigeons return home later than 72 hours after release;

*    Birds in isolation must be inspected regularly and any suspicion of an avian notifiable disease must be reported to the SVS.  Other veterinary advice should be sought from a private veterinary surgeon.

*    However, should the risk situation change following a further outbreak of HPAI anywhere in Europe, the risk assessment will be immediately revised and gatherings for international pigeon racing may be restricted from certain areas or banned altogether as appropriate if the outbreaks are near to a liberation site or the route of the race;

As it stands the licence on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.ukanimalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/keptbirds/genlicence.htm

<www.defra.gov.ukanimalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/keptbirds/genlicence.htm>  will be amended to reflect these conditions on 1 April.

Peter Bryant

General Manager

The Royal Pigeon Racing Association