Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms she has put in place to (a) monitor cases of Bovine TB in hunting hounds and (b) adherence to (i) meat hygiene rules and (ii) Bovine TB controls in relation to the safe disposal of fallen cattle stock in farms with any involvement with hunting hounds.

Tuberculosis (TB) in dogs caused by the bovine TB bacterium (M. bovis) is extremely rare. Dogs are spill over hosts and are not considered a significant source of infection for cattle, other dogs, or wildlife.

There is no evidence that hunting activities contribute to the spread of TB. While there are no monitoring systems specific to hunting hounds, APHA provides guidance and training to fallen stock collectors, and kennels feeding fallen stock, on identifying TB in livestock carcases.

In addition, in 2017, Defra strengthened the Animal By Product rules that apply to hunt kennels. Offal from livestock may no longer be fed to hounds, and kennels must carry out additional checks for TB lesions in fallen stock from farms with recent TB breakdowns. A reminder of these requirements was issued to all kennels in 2022.

Suspected TB in dogs must be reported immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), including by hunt kennels.