Farm animals and/or poultry on domestic premises

The keeping of farm animals and poultry on domestic premises may be a practical proposition for people who can provide a healthy environment in which to keep their animals, but there are regulations, legal restrictions and welfare standards which must be followed.

Farm animals

Certain farm animals are subject to conditions and may require government registration.

For disease control purposes certain farm animals may also be subject to legal restrictions regarding their movement.

For further information on the regulations and movement and other restrictions that may apply see:

• Permission for housing tenants to keep pets
• GOV.UK - Keeping farmed animals (opens new window) - for cattle, sheep, goats
• GOV.UK - Pigs: identification, registration and movement (opens new window) - for pigs
• GOV.UK - Animal Movement Licences (England) (opens new window)

See also:

• RSPCA - Advice and welfare on keeping farm animals as pets (opens new window)
• EDF Publication - Exotic pets: reducing the risk of human infection (opens new window)

• GOV.UK - Department for Environment Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (opens new window)
• GOV.UK - Animal and Plant Health Agency (opens new window)

Poultry

Poultry registration only applies if the birds are kept above certain numbers.

For disease control purposes poultry may also be subject to legal restrictions regarding their movement.

Regulations require that the keeping of some types of bird requires a Dangerous Wild Animals Licence.

For further information on the regulations and restrictions that may apply to keeping poultry see:

• Permission for housing tenants to keep pets
• Dangerous wild animals and exotic animals
• GOV.UK - Registering poultry (opens new window)

See also:

• RSPCA - Advice and welfare on keeping farm animals as pets (opens new window)
• EDF Publication - Exotic pets: reducing the risk of human infection (opens new window)

• GOV.UK - Department for Environment Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (opens new window)
• GOV.UK - Animal and Plant Health Agency (opens new window)