{{Short description|Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Use British English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = Animal Health Act 1981{{efn|Section 97(1).}} | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act to consolidate the Diseases of Animals Act 1935, the Diseases of Animals Act 1950, the Ponies Act 1969, the Rabies Act 1974, the Diseases of Animals Act 1975, and certain related enactments. | year = 1981 | citation = 1981 c. 22 | territorial_extent = {{ubli|England and Wales|Scotland|Northern Ireland (sections 93 and 95(6) and part of schedule 6)}}{{efn|Section 97(2).}} | royal_assent = 11 June 1981 | commencement = 11 July 1981{{efn|Section 97(3).}} | amends = See {{Section link||Repealed enactments}} | replaces = See {{Section link||Repealed enactments}} | amendments = {{ubli|Animal Health and Welfare Act 1984|Food Act 1984|Animal Health and Welfare Act 1984|Animal Health (Amendment) Act 1998|Animal Health Act 2002|Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024}} | related_legislation = | status = Amended | original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/22/contents/enacted | revised_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/22/contents | use_new_UK-LEG = yes }}
The '''Animal Health Act 1981''' (c. 22) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated enactments related to diseases of animals in Great Britain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Animal Health Act 1981 {{!}} LexisNexis |url=https://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/legal/legislation/uk-parliament-acts/animal-health-act-1981-c22 |access-date=2026-03-24 |website=www.lexisnexis.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
== Provisions == === Repealed enactments === Section 96(2) of the act repealed 23 enactments, listed in the sixth schedule to the act.<ref>{{Cite legislation UK|act=Animal Health Act 1981|type=act|year=1981|chapter=22}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" !Citation !Short title !Extent of repeal |- |25 & 26 Geo. 5. c. 31 |Diseases of Animals Act 1935 |The whole act. |- |14 Geo. 6. c. 36 |Diseases of Animals Act 1950 |The whole act. |- |2 & 3 Eliz. 2. c. 39 |Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1954 |Section 11. Schedule 2. |- |4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 46 |Administration of Justice Act 1956 |Section 49(2). |- |10 & 11 Eliz. 2. c. 46 |Transport Act 1962 |In Part I of Schedule 2, the entry relating to the Diseases of Animals Act 1950. |- |1963 c. 11 |Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1963 |Sections 13 and 14. Section 16(1). In section 16(3), the words— (a) "the Minister to whom the fee was paid or, as the case may be,"; and (b) "he or". |- |1963 c. 33 |London Government Act 1963 |In section 54(4), the words "The Diseases of Animals Act 1950". In Part I of Schedule 13, paragraph 1. |- |1967 c. 22 |Agriculture Act 1967 |Section 66. |- |1967 c. 80 |Criminal Justice Act 1967 |In Part I of Schedule 3, the entry relating to the Diseases of Animals Act 1950. |- |1968 c. 67 |Medicines Act 1968 |In Schedule 6, the entry relating to Part II of and Schedule 3 to the Diseases of Animals Act 1950. |- |1969 c. 28 |Ponies Act 1969 |The whole act. |- |1970 c. 40 |Agriculture Act 1970 |Section 105(2) to (5). Section 106(3). |- |1971 c. 23 |Courts Act 1971 |In Part I of Schedule 9, the entry relating to the Diseases of Animals Act 1950. |- |1972 c. 62 |Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1972 |Sections 1 to 3. |- |1972 c. 68 |European Communities Act 1972 |In Schedule 4, paragraph 7. |- |1973 c. 65 |Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 |Section 144(1), (2). |- |1974 c. 7 |Local Government Act 1974 |In Schedule 6, paragraph 7. |- |1974 c. 17 |Rabies Act 1974 |The whole act. |- |1975 c. 40 |Diseases of Animals Act 1975 |The whole act. |- |1976 c. 55 |Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 |Sections 8 to 10. In Schedule 3, the reference to the Diseases of Animals Act 1950. |- |1976 c. 63 |Bail Act 1976 |In Schedule 2, paragraph 13. |- |1977 c. 45 |Criminal Law Act 1977 |Section 55(1) to (3). |- |1979 c. 2 |Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 |In Part I of the Table of textual amendments in paragraph 12 of Schedule 4, the entry relating to the Diseases of Animals Act 1950. |}
== Subsequent developments == The act has been amended on several occasions. The Animal Health and Welfare Act 1984 amended the act with provisions relating to the seizure of things for the purpose of preventing the spread of disease. The Animal Health Act 2002 further extended its powers, particularly in relation to foot and mouth disease, scrapie, and other exotic and endemic notifiable animal diseases.
== Notes == {{Notelist}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{UK-LEG}} * {{UK-LEG|asmade=yes}}
{{UK legislation}} {{Authority control}}
Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1981 Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning England and Wales Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning Scotland Category:Consolidation Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom Category:Animal welfare and rights legislation in the United Kingdom