Fallen Livestock

Summary

A request was made for detailed statistics on fallen livestock including causes of death, species, and disposal numbers, but the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that they do not hold this information.

Key Facts

• The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture does not hold the requested data on fallen livestock.
• The Department of Infrastructure's Animal Waste Section is identified as the correct authority for collecting fallen stock.
• Requesters are advised to specify timescales and animal types (e.g., farm animals vs. pets) in future requests.
• Some data on processing charges for fallen animal stock is available on the government website.
• The request was formally closed on 18th February 2020.

Data Disclosed

• 2020-02-03
• 2020-02-18
• 1162949
• January 2018 to December 2018

Original Request

To whom it may concern, with this email I request for the following information to be released: 1. How many fallen livestock are picked up and disposed of, per year. 2. What was the cause of death. 3. What species they were. 4. What age they were. 5. How many were still alive and had to be put down. 6. Estimation of livestock unaccounted for/missing as reported by farmers. 7. Any other data that may help provide additional information towards the nature of this FOIA. I understand this is a subjective question but any reasonable advice and/or data that feels relative to understanding fallen livestock would be appreciated.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 1162949 18th February 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 3rd February 2020 and which states:

"To whom it may concern, with this email I request for the following information to be released: 1. How many fallen livestock are picked up and disposed of, per year. 2. What was the cause of death. 3. What species they were. 4. What age they were. 5. How many were still alive and had to be put down. 6. Estimation of livestock unaccounted for/missing as reported by farmers. 7. Any other data that may help provide additional information towards the nature of this FOIA. I understand this is a subjective question but any reasonable advice and/or data that feels relative to understanding fallen livestock would be appreciated. Yours sincerely,”

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested.

Further information While this Department does not hold the information you have requested, you may wish to log a new Freedom of Information request with the Department of Infrastructure as they have an Animal Waste Section which deals with requests to collect fallen stock. Please place your new request via the portal at https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/make-a-freedom- of-information-request/ To assist them with your request, when submitting, please specify the timescale in which you would like the information i.e. January 2018 to December 2018.

The information recorded may also include pets, such as horses and animals from the Wildlife Park, so when making your new request please specify if you want all animals or just those from farms. There is some data available at https://www.gov.im/categories/business-and- industries/agriculture/fallen-animal-stock/ However this refers to the processing charges for fallen animal stock.

Please quote the reference number 1162949 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely