March 2026Â RevisionsÂ
By now all UK bird enthusiasts of any type will be aware of the changes that DEFRA are intent upon imposing on the hobby of bird keeping, all in the guise of minimising the risk of the spread of avian flu.
There has been an initial meeting of a number of avian organisation to formulate a response to DEFRA’s requirements to obtain either a general or specific licence to hold a bird gathering.
Unfortunately the IGBA committee were made aware of this meeting late in the day and were unable to attend.
However we have communicated to IOA / COM UK and their partners at the meeting, of the IGBA’s willingness to become actively involved in all future meetings and engage in producing a structured formal response to DEFRA on the far reaching consequences of their current requirements to hold a bird gathering.
The IGBA Committee make it known that it will represent ALL its UK Affiliates, members and Gloster enthusiasts and provide feedback to all on the content and decisions coming from future meetings of avian organisations and those with DEFRA.
The IGBA chair has taken on the initial responsibility of leading our Gloster representation.
Our message to all Affiliates and individual members is to write to your local MP asking for evidence and reasoning for DEFRA imposing their new regulations specific to canaries which are housed / exhibited in an indoors environment with no access to the external environment; theorising that the consequential risk of contacting or furthering the spread of avian flu is at worse low and therefore the granting of licences should be given credence to these facts.
IGBA Committee 25th January 2026
