Mr. Tony Killeen, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has reminded the equine industry in County Clare of the new requirements on equine identification that are scheduled to come into force this Wednesday (1 July 2009).
EU and national legislation currently requires that all equines be accompanied by a passport (identification document) when being moved. In addition the vast majority of approved studbook keeping organisations currently require that animals are microchipped as part of their registration systems.
Minister Killeen pointed out: “Under the Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/2008, all foals born from 1st July 2009 onwards, and also older animals if they have not been previously registered prior to 1 July 2009, will have to be identified by their individual passports and by a microchip, with the number of the microchip having to be entered on the passport also. Under this new Regulation all foals must be identified in this manner within six months of birth. The Regulation does not have retrospective effect.”
“I welcome the new Regulation as it will provide extra safeguards for owners, breeders of equines as to the identity of animals and it represents a major step forward in safeguarding the food chain”, added the local T.D. Minister Killeen said that Department officials have engaged with various industry stakeholders with a view to putting in place the necessary arrangements to ensure that all foals born from 1 July 2009 onwards are identified in accordance with Regulation No 504/2008.
EU and national legislation currently requires that all equines be accompanied by a passport (identification document) when being moved. In addition the vast majority of approved studbook keeping organisations currently require that animals are microchipped as part of their registration systems.
Minister Killeen pointed out: “Under the Commission Regulation (EC) No 504/2008, all foals born from 1st July 2009 onwards, and also older animals if they have not been previously registered prior to 1 July 2009, will have to be identified by their individual passports and by a microchip, with the number of the microchip having to be entered on the passport also. Under this new Regulation all foals must be identified in this manner within six months of birth. The Regulation does not have retrospective effect.”
“I welcome the new Regulation as it will provide extra safeguards for owners, breeders of equines as to the identity of animals and it represents a major step forward in safeguarding the food chain”, added the local T.D. Minister Killeen said that Department officials have engaged with various industry stakeholders with a view to putting in place the necessary arrangements to ensure that all foals born from 1 July 2009 onwards are identified in accordance with Regulation No 504/2008.
