Animals and Birds (Licensing of Farms) Rules

Animals and Birds Act

(CHAPTER 7, Section 70)

R 3

REVISED EDITION 1994

(30th April 1994)

[7th January 1972]

Citation

1. These Rules may be cited as the Animals and Birds (Licensing of Farms) Rules.

Definitions

2. In these Rules —

“Director” includes any officer duly authorised by the Director in writing to act on his behalf;

“farm” means any tract of land, whether enclosed by fencing or not, used for the rearing of animals or birds;

“structure” means any piggery, chicken house, feed store, open shed or other similar structure erected on a farm.

Licence

3. No person shall keep or maintain a farm unless he has a valid licence issued by the Director for that purpose.

Application for licence

4.—(1) The applicant for a licence shall apply on a form prescribed by the Director.

(2) The applicant shall supply such information, statistics and plans as may be required by the Director.

(3) An applicant who supplies any false information shall be guilty of an offence under these Rules.

Discretion of Director

5. The Director may in his discretion refuse to issue or renew a licence or revoke any licence already issued without assigning any reason.

Validity period

6. A licence issued under these Rules shall expire on 31st December in the year in which it is issued unless previously revoked.

Fees

7.—(1) The fee for a licence or for each renewal thereof shall be $100.

(2) The fee for the replacement of a lost, defaced or illegible licence shall be $5.

Licensee to exhibit licence

8. The licensee shall exhibit his licence in a conspicuous place in the farm.

Licensee to supply information

9. Every licensee shall supply such information pertaining to the production and sale of animals or birds on his farm as may be required by the Director.

Unauthorised structures prohibited

10. No person shall erect or cause to be erected any structure on his farm without first obtaining a permit for that purpose from the Director.

Application to erect new structure

11.—(1) The applicant for a permit to erect a structure shall apply on a form prescribed by the Director together with —

(a)	plans of the structure in quadruplicate but the Director may require an architect’s plan for a structure exceeding 80 metres in length or exceeding the specifications laid down in rule 13; and
(b)	a site plan in quadruplicate to a scale of 1:1000 or 1:2500, showing the site of the proposed structure, north point, numbers of adjoining lots and the siting of adjoining structures and buildings.

(2) Plans of the structure and the site plan shall be signed by the licensee or his agent erecting the structure.

(3) A standard farm structure plan may be obtained from the Director on payment of a fee of $5.

Refusal to issue permit

12.—(1) The Director may in his discretion refuse to issue a permit without assigning any reason.

(2) The fee for a permit shall be $25.

(3) The fee for a replacement of a lost, defaced or illegible permit shall be $10.

Dimensions to structure

13. Unless otherwise approved by the Director —

(a)	the maximum height of any structure with roof shall not exceed 3 metres and the distance between the floor level and the top of the side pillars shall be taken as the height; and
(b)	the width of any structure with roof shall not exceed 12 metres and the distance between the side pillars shall be taken as the width.

Floor to be properly constructed

14. The floor of any piggery or chicken house shall be cemented or constructed with such materials as may be approved by the Director.

Structures to contain facilities

15.—(1) A structure constructed for the keeping of animals or birds shall contain facilities for the effective disposal of excreta.

(2) All piggeries shall have concrete drains of not less than 229 millimetres in diameter and such drains shall be laid to regular falls. The drains shall be connected to approved cesspits or other approved system for holding, decomposing and treatment of excreta. There shall be no privy or latrine over any cesspit.

(3) All chicken houses shall have concrete drains and shall contain adequate approved fly-proof enclosures for the storage of chicken excreta.

Distance between structure and boundary

16.—(1) The distance between any structure and the boundaries of its lot shall be not less than 3 metres, measured horizontally from the eaves of the structure.

(2) A structure shall not be sited less than 6 metres from any dwelling-house or building used for human habitation and the drainage for the structure shall not lead to or be connected to the drainage for the dwelling-house or building.

Structure not to be used for other purposes

17. A structure shall not be used for any purpose other than that for which a permit has been issued except with the prior written approval of the Director.

Extensions prohibited

18.—(1) No person shall construct or cause to be constructed any extension to any existing structure or any structure for which a permit has been issued without first obtaining a permit from the Director.

(2) For the purposes of applying for such a permit, rule 11 shall apply.

Excreta in farm to be disposed of

19.—(1) All animal or bird excreta in a farm shall be completely disposed of.

(2) Pig excreta shall be drained and collected in approved cesspits or other approved system for holding, decomposing or treating such excreta and their subsequent discharge thereof shall be directed through proper drains into a sewer or approved outlet.

(3) Chicken excreta shall be collected and stored in approved fly-proof enclosures.

(4) All cesspits shall be serviced regularly and be maintained in proper function. Any cesspit or fly-proof enclosure which is malfunctioning shall be repaired or rebuilt to the satisfaction of the Director.

Feeding stuffs to be properly stored

20. All feeding stuffs shall be properly stored in a storage shed.

Human excreta not to be used for manure

21.—(1) No human excreta shall be used for manuring in any farm.

(2) The Director may cause any farm to be fumigated or treated with insecticides or chemicals if he considers it necessary.

(3) The Director may cause any excreta, garbage, junk or any materials or articles to be removed from a farm.

Offences

22. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of these Rules shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $500 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.

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