HORSE PASSPORTS REGULATIONS
As an authorised and approved Passport Issuing Organisation for Standardbreds in Great Britain and Ireland, STAGBI will issue passports in accordance to the regulations as specified in the Commission Regulation EC 2015/262 (the “2016 EU Regulation”); 2018 No 761 The Equine Identification (England) Regulations 2018; 2019 No 57 (W.20) The Equine Identification (Wales) Regulations 2019; 2019 No 30 The Equine Animal (Identification) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 and The Equine Identification Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019.
LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OWNERS:
- The owner of an equine (horse, pony or donkey) has specific legal responsibilities under the Horse Passport Regulations 2009. Failure to comply may mean that the local authority (usually Trading Standards) takes enforcement action. The maximum penalty for each offence is £5000
- A Trading Standards or Animal Health Officer may request a passport to be produced for inspection. Failure to present a passport for inspection is an offence
- The passport should accompany the animal when it moves to races, shows, sales, competitions and when it is sold or goes to slaughter. Failure to do so is an offence.
- The passport is the property of the issuing Passport Issuing Organisations (PIO), in this instance STAGBI.
- Note the number & the PIO the passport was issued by. This makes obtaining a replacement more straightforward if the original is ever damaged or lost as the passport is valid for the life of the horse.
- Owner is required to sign passport where required (Section IV)
- Passport must be returned to PIO the passport was issued if there are any modifications to the identification (Section 1 Part C).
- When a veterinarian administers a medicinal product to an equine, it must be recorded in the Administration of Veterinary Medicinal Products section of the passport if the equine has not been signed out of the human food chain (Section II)
- An equine can be signed out of the food chain by an owner/representative of the owner/keeper/PIO/Competent Authority or veterinarian.
- When an equine is sold the passport must be passed onto the new owner. Failure to do so is an offence.
- When an equine is purchased always obtain his passport, it is the new owner’s responsibility to notify the PIO within 30 days of purchase. Failure to do so is an offence.
- It is an offence to apply for a duplicate passport for an equine unless the original is lost or damage.
- If an equine dies or has to be put to sleep then the passport must be returned to the issuing PIO within 30 days to have it invalidated. Failure to do so is an offence. You may request that the passport is returned to you once it has been invalidated by the PIO