Animal and plant health

The diseases and pests the government plans for, the duty to report a notifiable disease, and the everyday habits that stop them spreading.

Environment

What it is

Risks to animal and plant health can have serious effects on people, the environment and the economy. Be Ready names foot and mouth disease, avian influenza or bird flu, African horse sickness, African swine fever, the plant bacterium Xylella fastidiosa and the emerald ash borer beetle, Agrilus planipennis. There are simple steps the public can take.

Some animal diseases can pass to people. The infectious disease page covers zoonotic diseases. The UK Health Security Agency publishes guidance on staying safe from infections carried by animals when visiting a farm.

What it does to a home

For most households the effect is on habits rather than the house. You can still feed garden birds, but wash your hands afterwards and follow the British Trust for Ornithology's advice on reducing disease at feeders and on what to do about sick or dead birds. Pet owners should know where a new cat or dog was born, because illegally imported animals can carry serious diseases that spread to other pets or people. Keepers of livestock, poultry or captive birds carry the legal duty to report a notifiable disease at once. Gardeners should check plants before buying and keep mud off boots, bikes and buggies between sites.

Who warns you

The Animal and Plant Health Agency publishes news and guidance on gov.uk and sends alerts on notifiable disease outbreaks to subscribers. Gov.uk carries the latest bird flu situation in England. The UK Plant Health Information Portal carries the Plant Health Risk Register and a pests and diseases page. The Forestry Commission supports woodland owners, and the Non-native Species Secretariat gives check, clean, dry advice for water users. The National Bee Unit covers bees, and the Asian Hornet Watch app takes sighting reports. National Plant Health Week runs each year.

Reporting routes differ by nation. England uses the Defra Rural Services Helpline for APHA, Wales has its own APHA line, Scotland uses local Field Services Offices, and Northern Ireland uses the DAERA helpline or a DAERA Direct office. The numbers are on the Be Ready page.

How the government assesses it

The National Risk Register 2025 assesses four animal diseases and two plant pests. For foot and mouth it recalls the 2001 outbreak, when over 6 million animals were culled, and plans for a reasonable worst case of about 1.9 million animals on over 2,900 premises. For highly pathogenic avian influenza it notes the largest outbreak to date ran from 2021 to 2023 and plans for 250 large commercial premises infected over six to eight months. Xylella fastidiosa is established in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, and the emerald ash borer has never had a UK outbreak but is spreading across Europe. The register also lists animal disease and plant pests among its chronic biosecurity risks.

Where to look

APHA at gov.uk/government/organisations/animal-and-plant-health-agency.
UK Plant Health Information Portal at planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk.
TreeAlert at treealert.forestresearch.gov.uk.
Related pages: infectious disease outbreaks, antimicrobial resistance.

Before

Subscribe to the APHA alert service for news of notifiable disease outbreaks.
Wash hands with soap and water after feeding wild birds, and follow the British Trust for Ornithology's hygiene advice for garden feeders.
Never feed food scraps or kitchen waste to livestock or wild animals such as feral pigs. Past swine fever and foot and mouth outbreaks began this way.
Do not bring animals into the UK without a valid travel document, and know where a cat or dog you buy was born.
Buy plants only from trusted sellers, check them for pests and disease, and check the Plant Health Portal.
Do not bring plants, seeds, fruit, flowers or vegetables into the UK from overseas.

During

If you suspect a notifiable disease in your animals, report it immediately. Failing to do so is an offence. The Be Ready page lists the reporting routes for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Avoid all contact with wild animals that appear sick, and avoid premises where poultry or captive birds are kept.
Ask your vet if you are worried about your animals, and wear gloves and protective clothing if you must handle them.
Wash your hands with soap and water if you may have touched a diseased animal.
Follow any temporary restrictions on bringing food or animal products into Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

After

Report trees showing signs of pests or disease through TreeAlert or to APHA.
Wash or brush mud off bikes, boots and buggies between visits to woods, parks and gardens. Plant diseases live in mud and water.
The National Risk Register says it takes at least three months after the last cull to regain foot and mouth free status for trade, and at least 28 days for avian influenza.

Sources

Last updated 29 October 2026. Reviewed 29 October 2026