Regulations, 2011

L.N. 165 of 2011

FOOD SAFETY ACT

(CAP. 449)

VETERINARY SERVICES ACT

(CAP. 437)

Slaughtering of Lagomorphs for Human Consumption

Regulations, 2011

IN exercise of the powers conferred by article 10 of the Food

Safety Act and by article 10 (1) of the Veterinary Services Act,

the Minister for Health, the Elderly and Community Care and the

Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs have made the following

regulations:-

(1) The title of these regulations is the Slaughtering of

Lagomorphs for Human Consumption Regulations, 2011.

(2) The scope of these regulations is to implement

national measures with respect to the slaughtering of lagomorphs

for human consumption.

(3) These regulations are being published also in

accordance with Article 1 (4) of Regulation 853/2004 of the

European Parliament and the Council of 29 April 2004.

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise

requires

“carcass” means the body of a lagomorph after slaughter

and dressing;

“Department” means the Department responsible for

veterinary services;

“dressing” means the removal of the skin and viscera but

with the possible retention of the tongue, lungs, heart, liver,

kidneys and testicles;

“final consumer” means the ultimate consumer of

a foodstuff who will not use the food as part of any food

business operation or activity;

“fresh meat” means meat that has not undergone any

preserving process other than chilling, freezing or quick-

freezing, including meat that is vacuum-wrapped or wrapped

in a controlled atmosphere, and “fresh lagomorph meat” shall

be construed accordingly;

“holding” means any site where breeding and rearing of

lagomorphs for human consumption takes place;

“lagomorph” means rabbits, hares and rodents;`

“local retail establishments” means an establishment that

sells lagomorph meat and meat preparations directly to the

final consumers, which establishment shall be clearly marked

as such;

“premises” means any slaughtering plant or cutting unit;

“private domestic consumption” means the consumption

of lagomorph meat by the producer or his immediate family;

“producer” means any individual breeding or rearing

lagomorphs for the purpose of slaughtering for human

consumption;

“Regulation 852” means Regulation (EC) 852/2004 of

the European Parliament and the Council of 29 April 2004 on

the hygiene of foodstuffs and subsequent amendments;

“Regulation 853” means Regulation (EC) 853/2004 of

the European Parliament and the Council of 29 April 2004

laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin

and subsequent amendments;

“small-scale producers” means producers whose holding

rears 50 breeding does or less.

Any holding breeding or rearing lagomorphs for human Breeding or rearing

consumption shall be registered under the Veterinary Services premises.

Act, and shall comply at all times with provisions as issued by the

Department from time to time.

No person shall slaughter any lagomorph with the

intention for supply for human consumption unless such

slaughtering is carried out in a premises approved under the

Veterinary Services Act and in compliance with the provisions of

Regulation 853.

(1) The provisions of regulations 3 and 4 shall not

apply in relation to small-scale producers rearing and slaughtering

lagomorphs for direct supply to the final consumer or to local retail

establishments directly supplying such meat to the final consumer

as fresh meat.

(2) Such producers shall be approved under the Food

Safety Act and shall comply at all times with the provisions of

Regulation 852 and with guidelines issued by the Food Safety

Commission as published in the Gazette from time to time.

Premises whose operations are carried out with a view

to the supply of lagomorphs to other establishments shall be

approved under the Veterinary Services Act and in compliance with

Regulation 853.

(1) Any lagomorph carcass or fresh lagomorph meat

exposed for sale, or stored, in any retail establishment shall bear

information concerning the traceability of such meat,

(2) All individual carcasses of lagomorphs slaughtered

in establishments approved in line with regulation 4 of these

regulations shall bear an identification mark as described in

Regulation 853.

These regulations shall not apply in relation to the

breeding, rearing or slaughter of lagomorphs for private domestic

use or the domestic preparation, handling or storage of lagomorph

meat for personal private domestic consumption.

Any person who contravenes these regulations shall be

guilty of an offence against the Food Safety Act and the Veterinary

Services Act.