Cleaning, Disinfection and Isolation Procedure

Purpose. This procedure sets out the daily cleaning routine for animal housing, the disinfection standards for each zone and the extra controls that apply in isolation.

1.Scope and zones

This procedure applies to all animal housing, treatment rooms and grooming areas at every site. Each site is divided into colour-coded zones: green for healthy adoption and boarding animals, amber for admission and observation, and red for isolation. Equipment, cleaning tools and personal protective equipment must never move from a red zone to any other zone.

2.Daily order of work

Cleaning must start in the green zone, move to the amber zone and finish in the red zone. Workers must change gloves and outer clothing between zones and wash hands at each zone boundary. Feeding and health checks follow the same order. The kennel supervisor confirms the order on the daily cleaning checklist.

• Green zone: adoption kennels, cattery, boarding
• Amber zone: admission block and observation runs
• Red zone: isolation and quarantine

3.Cleaning steps for an enclosure

Move the animal to a holding pen or secure the animal in the enclosure's separate section. Remove bedding, bowls, toys and solid waste. Rinse surfaces with water, apply detergent, scrub all surfaces including walls and bars, rinse again and squeegee dry. Apply the disinfectant at the concentration on the product label and leave it for the full contact time before rinsing. Return the animal only when the surface is dry.

4.Chemical handling

Only the approved detergent and disinfectant products listed on the site chemical register are permitted. Workers must read the safety data sheet, wear the gloves and eye protection specified, and dilute products using the measuring jug, never by eye. Chemicals must be stored in the locked cleaning store in labelled containers.

5.Isolation protocol

Animals in isolation must be attended last by a dedicated worker wearing a disposable gown, gloves, shoe covers and, where the disease is airborne, a mask. Bowls and bedding used in isolation must be disposed of or laundered separately at high temperature. Foot baths at the isolation entrance must be refreshed twice daily. Visitors and volunteers must not enter isolation.

6.Enhanced cleaning during an outbreak

When the Senior Veterinarian declares an outbreak, the affected zone must be cleaned twice daily with the virucidal disinfectant nominated for the disease. Intakes into the zone must stop and animal movements must be approved by the Senior Veterinarian. The outbreak status and cleaning records must be entered in the Animal Register for each affected animal.

7.Records

Daily cleaning checklists must be signed by the worker and countersigned by the supervisor. Checklists are retained for twelve months and reviewed during the monthly welfare and safety review.