Live animal transport has a long history, dating back to biblical times. Today, the national and international transport of live animal is governed principally by a number of European Union Directives. In the UK these have been distilled into the welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997. This is primarily the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food but in practice the day-to-day administration of the regulations is devolved to local authorities. It is feared that this may lead to regional differences in interpretation. The situation is made more complex by the addition of further layers of bureaucracy from, for example, the Road Haulage Association, supermarkets and the multiplicity of quality assurance schemes. The responsibility for the lawful transport of live animals from farm to market or abattoir lies with the supplier who, under recent legislation, must satisfy himself or herself that the carrier is competent to transport the particular class of livestock. Similarly, the insurance of the animals during transit is the supplier's responsibility. The multiplicity of rules and regulations governing stocking densities, journey times, lairage, the cleaning and disinfection of vehicles and vehicle construction standards is resulting in many carriers deciding not to continue in the business of live animal transport.