Exotic animal policy relaxed

LONDON - People in Britain who want to keep lions, tigers, crocodiles and other dangerous wild animals in their homes will have fewer obstacles put in their way, under new plans being put forward by the Government.

A survey of 87 local authorities found 267 dangerous snakes, 36 camels, 36 scorpions, 30 crocodilians (including caimans and alligators), 23 big cats, and one zebra were kept in homes across Britain. But now under proposals to change the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, 1976, owners would only need to get a licence every two years and would have their premises inspected less often.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says it wants to reduce the "burden" of red tape on private animal keepers and says the act is "considered by many stakeholders to be too burdensome".

The RSPCA has attacked the proposals, pointing out that only five years ago Defra proposed to change the act in the opposite way - in the department's own words, "to make it more robust".

Eighteen months ago a number of exotic species, from emus and sloths to raccoons and squirrel monkeys, were removed from the list for which a licence was required, a step which the RSPCA said left it "disappointed and concerned", as it said that many exotic animals were not only potentially dangerous to humans, but were extremely difficult to look after properly, and needed special care.

"We don't think the legislative framework is strong enough anyway and we're really not happy with any kind of weakening of it," said RSPCA scientific officer Ros Clubb. She said weakening the framework further "would have a detrimental effect on the welfare of these animals".

The survey found a snow leopard living in East Cambridgeshire, two ocelots in Gravesham in Kent and a cheetah in a 20m x 50m enclosure in Macclesfield in Cheshire.

- INDEPENDENT