Useful Links for Deer

The British Deer Veterinary Association (BDVA) is an organisation open to any veterinarian, or any other interested professional who wishes to  join. The Association is small and friendly; it offers resources to all those with an interest in deer of all types. 

The British Deer Farms and Parks Association (BDFPA) is a representative body for UK deer farmers and parks alike. It representa the interests of the UK deer industry to government bodies and public organisations alike.

The British Deer Society (BDS) is a charity that operates throughout the UK dedicated to educating and inspiring everyone about deer. Their primary interest is in wild and parkland deer and they have extensive resources available for both newcomers and experts.

The Deer Initiative (DI) are a group primarily concerned with wild deer management who have some very in-depth resources regarding best practices of wild deer management, from populations to diseases and hygiene. 

Veterinary Surgeon's Act 1966 details that the removal of a deer's antler in velvet is an act of Veterinary surgery other than to relieve pain and suffering. It also determines exemptions for non-veterinarians to perform intramuscular injections (under Schedule 3), which only  applies to farmed deer.

The Deer Act 1991 is the primary UK legislation covering wild and park deer in the UK. This legislation outlines the requirement for a license to take deer from the wild for the purposes of translocation or scientific research. Such licenses can be applied for using the A32 application form.

The Tuberculosis in Animals (England) Order 2021 brings all enclosed deer into parity with cattle herds with regards to the rights of the APHA to impose statutory testing on those herds. Currently, this only applies to farmed deer as there is no provision within the Deer Act 1991 to capture enclosed park and wild deer for the purposes of disease surveillance.