{"analytics_identifier":null,"base_path":"/guidance/keeping-a-pet-pig-or-micropig","content_id":"602144f8-7631-11e4-a3cb-005056011aef","description":"Find out what you must do before you get a pet pig, how to register as a keeper and get a pig walking licence and what you can feed pet pigs.","details":{"attachments":[],"body":"<div class=\"govspeak\"><p>If you keep a pig or ‘micropig’ as a pet, you’re considered a pig keeper. You must follow the same traceability and welfare rules as pig farmers.</p>\n\n<p>As a keeper, you’re legally responsible for the welfare of your pig. You must look after it by:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>providing it with a suitable place to live</li>\n  <li>giving it a suitable diet</li>\n  <li>making sure it can behave naturally and normally</li>\n  <li>protecting it from pain, suffering, injury and disease</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must follow <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/disease-prevention-for-livestock-farmers\">good hygiene and biosecurity standards</a> to help prevent the introduction and spread of disease.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"before-you-get-a-pig\">Before you get a pig</h2>\n\n<p>You must <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-county-parish-holding-cph-number\">get a county parish holding (<abbr title=\"county parish holding\">CPH</abbr>) number</a> from the Rural Payments Agency (<abbr title=\"Rural Payments Agency\">RPA</abbr>), for the land and buildings where you’ll keep the pig.</p>\n\n<p>You must contact <abbr title=\"Rural Payments Agency\">RPA</abbr> to <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/update-your-holding-details\">update your details</a> if anything changes after you register. This includes if you stop keeping the pig.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"register-as-pig-keeper\">Register as pig keeper</h2>\n\n<p>By law you must <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-livestock-to-get-a-flock-or-herd-mark\">register as a pig keeper with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (<abbr title=\"Animal and Plant Health Agency\">APHA</abbr>) to get a herd mark</a>.</p>\n\n<p>The herd mark must be on the ear tag, tattoo or slap mark you use to identify the pig before it moves from where it’s kept.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"tell-apha-if-your-circumstances-change\">Tell <abbr title=\"Animal and Plant Health Agency\">APHA</abbr> if your circumstances change</h3>\n\n<p>You must tell <abbr title=\"Animal and Plant Health Agency\">APHA</abbr> if you:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>change your address or telephone number</li>\n  <li>change where you plan to keep the pig</li>\n  <li>get more pigs or a new species of pig</li>\n  <li>stop keeping pigs</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>This is so <abbr title=\"Animal and Plant Health Agency\">APHA</abbr> can track the location and movement of animals to prevent and control disease.</p>\n\n<p>Find out how to <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/update-your-holding-details\">update your details</a>.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"get-a-licence-to-walk-a-pet-pig\">Get a licence to walk a pet pig</h2>\n\n<p>You need to apply for a licence from <abbr title=\"Animal and Plant Health Agency\">APHA</abbr> to walk your pig outside your home or premises. You can get an application form from <abbr title=\"Animal and Plant Health Agency\">APHA</abbr>.</p>\n\n<div class=\"contact\">\n<p>Animal and Plant Health Agency<br>\nTelephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301<br>\nMonday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm<br>\n<a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/call-charges\">Find out about call charges</a> <br>\nEmail: <a href=\"mailto:CSCOneHealthAGO@apha.gov.uk\">CSCOneHealthAGO@apha.gov.uk</a></p>\n</div>\n\n<p>You’ll need to provide a map of your proposed route as part of your application. <abbr title=\"Animal and Plant Health Agency\">APHA</abbr> may not approve your walking route if it poses a health risk, for example if it passes close to a:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>livestock market</li>\n  <li>pig farm</li>\n  <li>fast food restaurant</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must have your licence with you whenever you’re walking your pig, and you’ll need to renew it every year.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"report-and-record-movements\">Report and record movements</h2>\n\n<p>You must <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pig-keepers-report-and-record-movements-to-or-from-your-holding\">report any movement of your pig</a> using the <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://www.eaml2.org.uk/ami/home.eb\">electronic animal movement licensing service (<abbr title=\"electronic animal movement licensing\">eAML2</abbr>)</a>. You’ll need to register to use it.</p>\n\n<p>You do not need to report and record the movement if you’re only taking it for a walk under the terms of your licence.</p>\n\n<p>You must also <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pig-keepers-report-and-record-movements-to-or-from-your-holding#keep-a-holding-register\">keep a record of all movements, known as a holding register</a>.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"take-an-annual-inventory\">Take an annual inventory</h3>\n\n<p>At the same time once a year (you can choose when), you must also record in your holding register the:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>number of pigs on your premises or land on that day</li>\n  <li>total number of pigs normally on the premises or land</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You can keep digital or paper records. You must keep them for 3 years after you stop keeping pigs and show them to a Rural Payments Agency (<abbr title=\"Rural Payments Agency\">RPA</abbr>) field officer if requested.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"add-identification-details-to-your-pig\">Add identification details to your pig</h2>\n\n<p>You must <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pig-keepers-identify-animals-before-moving-them\">tag, tattoo or mark your pig with identification details</a> if you plan to move it away from your home or premises. This includes taking it:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>for a walk (under licence)</li>\n  <li>to a vet</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"feeding-your-pigs\">Feeding your pigs</h2>\n\n<p>You cannot feed pigs catering waste from any domestic or commercial kitchen including kitchens that only cater for vegetarians. Catering waste includes used cooking oil.</p>\n\n<p>You generally cannot feed pigs material of animal origin or products containing material of animal origin.</p>\n\n<p>You can feed pigs:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>liquid milk or colostrum produced on the same holding the pigs are kept on</li>\n  <li>former foodstuffs that contain rennet, melted fat, milk or eggs, as long as these materials are not the main ingredient</li>\n  <li>milk, milk products and white water (water used to clean dairy equipment) in some cases – find out <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/feeding-milk-and-milk-products-to-farm-animals-on-your-farm\">when you can feed milk and milk products to farmed animals</a>\n</li>\n  <li>fishmeal, di-or tri-calcium phosphate, or blood products in some cases - find out when these must be <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/supplying-and-using-animal-by-products-as-farm-animal-feed\">processed before they can be fed to farmed animals</a>\n</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You can get pig food from a premises that handles material that cannot be fed to pigs, but only if both of the following apply:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>the premises has a procedure to keep material that can be fed to pigs separate from material that cannot be fed to pigs</li>\n  <li>the procedure has been agreed with a local council</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Contact <abbr title=\"Animal and Plant Health Agency\">APHA</abbr> if you’re still unsure whether you can feed something to your pig.</p>\n\n<div class=\"contact\">\n<p>Animal and Plant Health Agency<br>\nTelephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301<br>\nMonday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm<br>\n<a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/call-charges\">Find out about call charges</a></p>\n</div>\n\n<h2 id=\"if-your-pig-dies\">If your pig dies</h2>\n\n<p>When a pig dies at your home or premises, you do not need to report this through the <abbr title=\"electronic animal movement licensing\">eAML2</abbr> service.</p>\n\n<p>You must follow the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fallen-stock\">rules to safely and legally dispose of the animal</a>.</p>\n\n</div>","change_history":[{"note":"Added a link to 'Register land you use to keep livestock' for information on getting a county parish holding number. Added link to 'Livestock keepers: update your details'. Added a link to 'Register livestock to get a flock or herd mark'. Added a link to eAML2 to report movements. Added a section on what to do if your pig dies. Added information on the requirement to take an annual inventory.","public_timestamp":"2023-07-12T07:55:57Z"},{"note":"Updated guidance for what you need to do before you get a pig, when you need to record movements and when to add identification details to your pig.","public_timestamp":"2023-01-24T12:00:22Z"},{"note":"First published.","public_timestamp":"2014-12-31T00:00:00Z"}],"emphasised_organisations":["de4e9dc6-cca4-43af-a594-682023b84d6c","4ad67f14-6f9c-4fa4-80ab-687b6d81ea6f"],"first_public_at":"2014-12-31T00:00:00.000+00:00","headers":[{"id":"before-you-get-a-pig","level":2,"text":"Before you get a pig"},{"headers":[{"id":"tell-apha-if-your-circumstances-change","level":3,"text":"Tell APHA if your circumstances change"}],"id":"register-as-pig-keeper","level":2,"text":"Register as pig keeper"},{"id":"get-a-licence-to-walk-a-pet-pig","level":2,"text":"Get a licence to walk a pet pig"},{"headers":[{"id":"take-an-annual-inventory","level":3,"text":"Take an annual inventory"}],"id":"report-and-record-movements","level":2,"text":"Report and record movements"},{"id":"add-identification-details-to-your-pig","level":2,"text":"Add identification details to your pig"},{"id":"feeding-your-pigs","level":2,"text":"Feeding your pigs"},{"id":"if-your-pig-dies","level":2,"text":"If your pig dies"}],"national_applicability":{"england":{"applicable":true,"label":"England"},"northern_ireland":{"alternative_url":"","applicable":false,"label":"Northern Ireland"},"scotland":{"alternative_url":"https://www.gov.scot/publications/pig-identification-registration-guidance-keepers-scotland/","applicable":false,"label":"Scotland"},"wales":{"alternative_url":"https://www.gov.wales/pig-identification-and-movement-guidance","applicable":false,"label":"Wales"}},"political":false,"related_mainstream_content":[],"tags":{"browse_pages":[]}},"document_type":"detailed_guide","first_published_at":"2014-12-31T00:00:00+00:00","links":{"available_translations":[{"api_path":"/api/content/guidance/keeping-a-pet-pig-or-micropig","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/guidance/keeping-a-pet-pig-or-micropig","base_path":"/guidance/keeping-a-pet-pig-or-micropig","content_id":"602144f8-7631-11e4-a3cb-005056011aef","document_type":"detailed_guide","links":{},"locale":"en","public_updated_at":"2023-07-12T07:55:57Z","schema_name":"detailed_guide","title":"Keeping a pet pig or 'micropig'","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/keeping-a-pet-pig-or-micropig","withdrawn":false}],"government":[{"api_path":"/api/content/government/2010-to-2015-conservative-and-liberal-democrat-coalition-government","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/government/2010-to-2015-conservative-and-liberal-democrat-coalition-government","base_path":"/government/2010-to-2015-conservative-and-liberal-democrat-coalition-government","content_id":"591c83aa-3b74-437d-a342-612bddd97572","details":{"current":false,"ended_on":"2015-05-08T00:00:00+00:00","started_on":"2010-05-12T00:00:00+00:00"},"document_type":"government","links":{},"locale":"en","title":"2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/2010-to-2015-conservative-and-liberal-democrat-coalition-government"}],"lead_organisations":[{"analytics_identifier":"D7","api_path":"/api/content/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs","base_path":"/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs","content_id":"de4e9dc6-cca4-43af-a594-682023b84d6c","details":{"acronym":"Defra","brand":"department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs","default_news_image":{"high_resolution_url":"https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a37dad140f0b649cceb1813/s960_defra-sign-grey.jpg","url":"https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a37dad1ed915d5a62fdc6d6/s300_defra-sign-grey.jpg"},"logo":{"crest":"single-identity","formatted_title":"Department<br/>for Environment,<br/>Food &amp; 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