Paperwork for Loft Visits

What documents are required?

  1. Original CPH letter or email from Defra Rural Payments Agency or APHA.
  2. 3 years of Owners Declaration which APHA calls the “Racing pigeon establishment operator declaration for the movement of racing pigeons to the EU or Northern Ireland for immediate release for racing back to Great Britain.”
  3. 3 years of completed vaccination certificates which lists the ring numbers of all the pigeons in your loft. Unrung, pigeons should be identified as such.
  4. 3 years of proof of purchase of vaccine e.g. purchase invoice boxes and bottles are not proof of purchase.
  5. 3 years of Veterinary Loft Attestations.
  6. A summary of the number of pigeons in your loft.

Original CPH letter or email

This lasts for as long as your loft is at the address shown on the letter or email. You need to tell Defra that you will be racing across the Channel.

You cannot race across the Channel if you do not have this document. DO NOT LOSE IT.

Owners Declaration

You need to sign this each racing season.

All sections need to be completed, especially those that have “mandatory” written by them.

Most importantly, you are signing the last page to say that you agree to the conditions listed under section 3.

You can download a blank form here

Vaccination Certificates

  1. Every pigeon in your loft must be vaccinated with an approved pigeon paramyxovirus vaccine. These are Colombovac PMV and Nobilis paramyxo P201. Show pigeons, droppers, fantails etc all need to be vaccinated.
  2. The ring number of every pigeon in your loft needs to be listed on the certificate.
  3. The certificate must be completed carefully and accurately.
  4. Ownership
    • Name and address including postcode
    • Loft number
    • Signed and dated
  5. Vaccine details
    • Brand and pack size (number of doses)
    • Batch number and Expiry date
    • Dose administered to each pigeon (0.2ml or 0.25ml depending on brand of vaccine)
    • Where the vaccine was purchased from
    • Date of purchase
    • Proof of purchase
  6. Finally signature, printed name and date that the witnesses helped or saw the pigeons being vaccinated.

Note that self administering these vaccines to pigeons in your loft is unique to GB. It is every fanciers responsibility to vaccinate their pigeons correctly, if you wish to retain this privilege.

You can download a blank vaccination certificate record here

Loft Check Sheet

You will need to record the following:

  1. Total number of pigeons in the loft on this date ?
  2. How many Stock birds: cocks and hens that do not fly out?
  3. How many Old Race Birds: cocks and hens?
  4. How many young birds & late breds? (may be included above)
  5. How many Sold / Loan / Breeder buyer / Donated during last year
  6. How many Purchased / Borrowed / given in last year
  7. How many Died or killed in or on the loft in last year – e.g old age
  8. How many Lost training, racing or from hawk strikes

You can download a check sheet here