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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the inspection regime is for premises licensed by the Animal and Plant Health Agency to operate as quarantine facilities.

Quarantine kennels are subject to annual authorisation by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for the first two years of establishment approval and authorisation every two years thereafter.

Before granting a quarantine kennel licence, APHA inspects the premises. The premises must meet standard requirements for the design, construction, operation and management of a quarantine facility to ensure that full rabies security is maintained and must also meet specific welfare requirements.

Every premises is overseen by a veterinary superintendent (VS) who oversees the health and welfare of the animals in the establishment’s care. The VS must visit the premises every week and submit a monthly report on the facility to APHA.

APHA field vets also inspect the quarantine kennel every three months to ensure the health and welfare of the occupants is satisfactory.