Central Bedfordshire Council: Important information for bird keepers.
Date Added: 04/08/2022
There is a confirmed case of Avian Influenza (bird flu) on-premises in the Blunham area.
The Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA), Central Bedfordshire Council, and Bedford Borough Council are working together to manage the outbreak and communicate with residents.
The Government has declared a 3-kilometre Protection Zone around the place where the disease has been confirmed to help prevent its spread. The protection zone covers Blunham, Church End, Tempsford, parts of Sandy, Roxton and Great Barford.
If you keep birds in the protection zone:
. you are now subject to legally enforced conditions that apply within this zone.
. they must be housed
A letter is being sent to residents in this zone who have registered with the Government that they keep more than 50 birds.
There will be lots of other residents who will keep birds, we are asking all keepers of birds within the zone to complete our survey to help us gain an accurate picture of captive birds in the area and assess and control the risks appropriately.
Please complete the survey if you keep birds of any birds (including poultry or game birds such as chickens, ducks, geese, pheasants, any aviary, and caged birds, or any racing or fancy pigeons), in any number, species, or breed within the zone – either at your home, garden, dovecote, allotment, smallholding, or farm.
Completing the survey will help protect local wildfowl, poultry farms and your own birds.