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The States have updated a 60-year-old law to protect the health of our animals and us and try and stop animals with infectious diseases getting in to the Island and spreading them.
States Vet Linda Lowseck said it will help stop certain diseases like Foot and Mouth, Blue Tongue and Rabies getting in to the Island that are still affecting animals in some parts of Europe.
The Environment department say the Animal Health Law needed updating to take into the account increasing global trade, climate change, the emergence and re-emergence of diseases that can be rapidly spread across international borders, and developments in veterinary medicine and epidemiology.
Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce said: “The Animal Health Jersey Law is an important update to Jersey’s legislation. So much has changed since the introduction of the Diseases of Animals Law some 60 years ago.
"The new measures it introduces are crucial to ensure we have adequate, up to date, and proportionate controls to prevent diseases coming into Jersey, and if the worst happens, to control globally important animal diseases.
"“The law also ensures the Island has internationally agreed standards in place to give confidence to our expanding list of trading partners.”
The new law will come into effect in the coming months after approval by the UK Privy Council.
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