Guidance

Report deer movements

How to report deer movements to the Livestock Information Service, including imports and exports.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Rural Payments Agency and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published
13 September 2023
Last updated
29 November 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England

You must report movements any time deer move on or off your holding or premises. You must do this even if you keep deer as pets or have temporary responsibility for them.

You must also follow the conditions of the deer movement general licence.

Following these rules means that animals can be traced at all times to help prevent and contain disease.

It’s your responsibility to follow the rules to avoid penalties such as movement restrictions, reduced subsidy payments, fines or prosecution.

Before you move deer

You must:

You must also inspect your deer to make sure there are no signs of notifiable diseases, for example foot and mouth disease.

If you suspect a disease, you must not move the deer. Contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Animal and Plant Health Agency
Email: [email protected]
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

What a movement is

A movement happens any time deer are moved on or off your holding. It can include moving them:

  • to and from a different holding, for example a farm
  • to and from a venue for exhibition or performance reasons (for example, a nativity play)
  • to your holding when you buy or import animals from another country in the UK or from abroad
  • from your holding when you sell or export animals abroad, including through an assembly centre
  • to a slaughterhouse

Unlike other livestock, you do not have to follow the standstill rule when you move deer.

Report deer movements to the Livestock Information Service (LIS)

You must report all movements to LIS. You can do this:

You must send a completed LIS-2 movement document with the deer when they’re moved.

What to include when you report the movement

You must include:

  • your CPH number
  • the number of animals you’re moving
  • description (stag, doe or fawn)
  • the deer’s unique identification number - including your herd mark from APHA or British Deer Farms and Parks Association (BDFPA)
  • the transporter’s name
  • the date and time of the movement

Multiple moves must be recorded on different LIS-2 movement document forms.

Report off movements

You can choose to report off movements either:

  • online
  • on paper, using the LIS-2 movement document

Report off movements online

Use either:

  • the Livestock Information Service (LIS) - you’ll need to create an account the first time you use it
  • your farm software package if it’s linked to LIS - check with your provider

You’ll need to print:

  • one copy of the LIS-2 movement document for the haulier moving the animals
  • 2 copies of the LIS-2 movement document for the receiving keeper, unless you know the receiving keeper has a LIS account and uses it to report movements onto their holding

If you need help with creating a LIS account or advice on reporting a movement, call the LIS helpline.

Livestock Information Service
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 03300 416 577
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Report off movements using the paper LIS-2 movement document

You might be able to get a paper copy of the LIS-2 movement document from a market, slaughterhouse or local council.

This comes as a ‘quadruplicate’ - 4 identical pages. Keep one for yourself and give the other 3 to the haulier.

You can also complete and print the editable LIS-2 movement document on the LIS website.

You’ll need to:

  • print 4 copies
  • keep one for yourself
  • give 3 copies to the haulier - they’ll keep one and give the other 2 to the receiving keeper to post to LIS (unless the keeper reports online)

Report on movements

You must report on movements within 3 days of the animal arriving onto your holding.

You can choose to report on movements either:

  • online
  • by posting the LIS-2 movement document to LIS

The sending keeper cannot report the on movement for you.

Report on movements online

Report on movements online using either your:

  • LIS account
  • farm software package if it’s linked to LIS - check with your provider

You can either:

  • confirm the on movement if the sending keeper reported the off movement online
  • report the whole move (the on and off movement) if the sending keeper reported the move on the paper LIS-2 movement document only

Complete the destination section of the LIS-2 movement document. You must keep a paper (or scanned digital) copy of this document for 3 years from the date the animal arrives on your holding.

If both the on and off moves were reported online, you do not have to keep copies.

Report on movements using the LIS-2 movement document

Complete the destination section of the document that arrives with the animal if:

  • you do not have a LIS account
  • your farm software is not linked to LIS
  • the sending keeper has not reported the off movement on LIS

You’ll need to either:

  • post a copy to LIS
  • scan and email it to LIS

As the receiving keeper, you must keep copies of movement documents for 3 years from the date the animal arrives on to your holding.

Moving animals for exhibition or performance reasons

You might want to move animals to locations that do not have a CPH number, such as:

  • a school or other education facility
  • a TV studio
  • other venues for performance-related activities (for example a nativity play)

If the deer will return to your holding, you can report the off and on movements as a single, round trip.

Tick the ‘destination exhibition or performance (Non CPH)’ box in section 1 on the LIS-2 movement document.

Deer imported or moved into England

Imported deer must travel with an import health certificate. You’ll need the details to complete a LIS-2 movement form.

Find out more about:

Deer moved from Scotland and Northern Ireland

Deer moved from Scotland or Northern Ireland may not have a movement document. If they do not, you’ll need to complete a LIS-2 movement document when they arrive and send it to LIS within 3 days.

If you’re a slaughterhouse operator, you must instead report the move online on LIS.

Deer moved from Wales

Deer moved from Wales will have a Welsh government movement document. Within 3 days you must either:

  • send a copy of the document to LIS
  • report the movement on LIS

Slaughterhouse operators must report the movement online and not by paper.

Export deer from England to outside of Great Britain

Deer must travel with a LIS-2 movement document to travel to an assembly centre or port.

You must also get an export health certificate.

You should also check if there are health requirements for the country you’re exporting them to. Find out more about exporting live animals.

Get help or advice

Contact LIS for help with reporting movements.

Livestock Information Service
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 03300 416 577
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Updates to this page

Published 13 September 2023
Last updated 29 November 2023 + show all updates

  1. Updated the guidance on moving animals for exhibition or performance reasons.

  2. First published.

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