Bird ownership advice for preventing the spread of bird flu

The legislation affecting bird owners in England is ever-changing, so below, we’re directing you to the most relevant government website articles on bird ownership, and preventing the spread of bird flu. 

Via the government website, you can stay up to date with the most recent legislation around bird ownership, and set up email alerts for pages you’d like updates on.

Bird ownership legislation and advice

If you own birds, it’s part of your responsibility to prevent the spread of bird flu, AKA avian influenza, and follow the rules and regulations set out by the government. 

Find useful links below, and set up email alerts so that you’re always doing all you can to keep both yourself, the birds and people around you safe.

• Bird flu (avian influenza): latest situation in England
• Bird flu (avian influenza): housing your birds safely
• Bird flu: rules in disease control zones in England
• Bird flu (avian influenza): how to prevent it and stop it spreading
• Bird flu (avian influenza): how to spot and report it in poultry or other captive birds
• Bird flu (avian influenza) movement licences
• Bird flu: rules if you keep racing pigeons, birds of prey and other captive birds
• Holding a bird gathering
• Bird flu: how to keep pets safe
• Avian influenza (bird flu) vaccination
• Notifiable animal disease cases and control zones

Advice on bird ownership in the UK

• The legislation is ever-changing, so use the Government website to stay up to date.
• Set up email alerts on the Government website articles you’d like to be updated on. This will help you to keep informed whenever changes are made to the rules, regulations and advice.
• Pay close attention to whether you live in a bird flu disease zone - this will affect you and your birds, and the safety measures that need to be in place to prevent the spread of bird flu.

How to prevent avian flu at home and home premises

Poultry and captive bird keepers need to be vigilant for any signs of avian influenza in their feathered friends, and seek advice from their vet as soon as they have concerns. Some of the measures for keeping birds that the government introduced are: 

• Housing or netting all poultry and captive birds
• Cleaning and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after being in contact with poultry and captive birds
• Reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where these animals are kept
• Using effective vermin control
• Cleaning and disinfecting bird housing at the end of a production cycle
• Keeping fresh disinfectant at places like farm entrances and before entering poultry and captive bird housing or enclosures so that people can use it
• Minimising direct and indirect contact between captive birds and poultry and wild birds - this includes making sure bird feed and water are not accessible to wild birds

I’m going to pet sit in a house with birds and poultry. How do the new measures affect me? 

Sitters currently taking care of a bird (or group of birds) on a sit should follow the same advice as above. We would also recommend any bird-keeping members or sitters visit the Gov UK website for further information on how to prevent the avian flu. 

Useful resources

• How much do bird sitters cost
• How to take care of a bird
• Bird sitting vs bird boarding: what’s the difference?