Register

Login

Vet Times logo
+
  • View all news
  • Vets news
  • Vet Nursing news
  • Business news
  • + More
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
  • View all clinical
  • Small animal
  • Livestock
  • Equine
  • Exotics
  • All Jobs
  • Your ideal job
  • Post a job
  • Career Advice
  • Students
About
Contact Us
For Advertisers
NewsClinicalJobs
Vet Times logo

Vets

All Vets newsSmall animalLivestockEquineExoticWork and well-beingOpinion

Vet Nursing

All Vet Nursing newsSmall animalLivestockEquineExoticWork and well-beingOpinion

Business

All Business newsHuman resourcesBig 6SustainabilityFinanceDigitalPractice profilesPractice developments

+ More

VideosPodcastsDigital Edition

The latest veterinary news, delivered straight to your inbox.

Choose which topics you want to hear about and how often.

Vet Times logo 2

About

The team

Advertise with us

Recruitment

Contact us

Vet Times logo 2

Vets

All Vets news

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotic

Work and well-being

Opinion

Vet Nursing

All Vet Nursing news

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotic

Work and well-being

Opinion

Business

All Business news

Human resources

Big 6

Sustainability

Finance

Digital

Practice profiles

Practice developments

Clinical

All Clinical content

Small animal

Livestock

Equine

Exotics

Jobs

All Jobs content

All Jobs

Your ideal job

Post a job

Career Advice

Students

More

All More content

Videos

Podcasts

Digital Edition


Terms and conditions

Complaints policy

Cookie policy

Privacy policy

fb-iconinsta-iconlinkedin-icontwitter-iconyoutube-icon

© Veterinary Business Development Ltd 2025

IPSO_regulated

13 May 2025

Avian flu housing rules to be lifted in England

Defra has announced restrictions will be relaxed from this Thursday.

author_img

Allister Webb

Job Title



Avian flu housing rules to be lifted in England

Mandatory housing regulations intended to curb the spread of avian flu in England are set to be lifted later this week. 

The rules are to be relaxed from this Thursday (15 May), though they will remain in place within local protection or captive bird monitoring zones.

Officials have also announced a seven-day transition period, which they say will allow birds that may have been housed for several months to be released gradually and minimise potential welfare issues.

‘Reduced risk’

UK CVO Christine Middlemiss said the move had followed “a sustained period of reduced risk” from the virus and paid tribute to bird keepers’ vigilance against it over recent months.

She added: “While the lifting of mandatory housing measures will be welcomed by bird keepers, it is imperative that keepers continue to practice stringent biosecurity and that any suspicions of disease are reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency immediately.”

An avian influenza prevention zone, which requires keepers to observe strict biosecurity measures, stays in place across Britain as a whole. Bird gatherings, including fairs and markets, will remain banned.