§ Captain BOWYERasked the Minister of Agriculture what are the present muzzling restrictions in force at Lee-on-Solent; if there is any chance of the restrictions being removed within the near future; and what is the earliest date at which, in any case, the restrictions could be removed in this area should no more cases of rabies occur?
Sir A. BOSCAWENA Muzzling Order has been applied to an area which comprises portions of Hampshire and Wiltshire, and in which Lee-on-Solent is situated, in consequence of outbreaks of rabies at Southampton and Salisbury. All dogs in the scheduled district are re- 2175W quired to be muzzled when in a public place, and no dogs can be moved out of the district, except by licence from the Ministry, granted under conditions requiring six months' quarantine on premises of a veterinary surgeon, which have been approved by the Ministry. In view of the proximity of Lee-on-Solent to Southampton in which four cases of rabies have been confirmed during the last four months, the latest of which occurred on the 6th instant, it is improbable that the restrictions will be removed in the near future, and at present I can give no indication of the date of the withdrawal of the Muzzling Order.