10.—(1) Every person having in his possession or under his charge an animal affected with disease shall—
(a)as far as practicable keep that animal separate from animals not so affected; and
(b)with all practicable speed give notice of the fact of the animal being so affected to the Department or to a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary stationed in the district in which the animal so affected is.
(2) Any person who knows or suspects that an animal (whether in captivity or not) is affected with rabies shall give notice of that fact to a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary unless—
(a)he believes on reasonable grounds that another person had given notice under this Article in respect of that animal, or
(b)he is exempted from doing so by an order under Article 60.
(3) A veterinary surgeon who examines any animal or the carcase of any animal and is of the opinion or suspects that the animal is diseased or was diseased when it died or when it was slaughtered shall with all practicable speed give notice of the disease or suspicion of disease to the Department or to a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary stationed in the district in which the animal or carcase is.
(4) The member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to whom notice is given shall forthwith give information of it to such person or authority as the Department by order directs.
(5) Where the Department is satisfied of the occurrence of any disease communicable to man, the Department shall forthwith notify [F1the Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-being and the Health and Social Care trust] F2 within whose area that disease has occurred.
[F3(6) The Department may by order—
(a)prescribe and regulate the notice to be given to or by any person or authority in case of any particular disease or suspicion of it or in case of the illness of an animal and supplement or vary for those purposes any of the provisions of this Article;
(b)prescribe and regulate the separation of suspected or diseased animals and poultry from animals and poultry which are not suspected or affected with disease;
(c)prescribe and regulate the notification of illness of, or disease or suspicion of disease in, poultry.]
(7) This Article is subject to any provision in Part III of Schedule 1.
F1Words in art. 10(5) substituted (1.4.2022) by Health and Social Care Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (c. 3), s. 8(1)(b), Sch. 1 para. 65; S.R. 2022/102, art. 2(b)