Charity calls for halt to ‘dangerous’ pets kept at home
CROCODILES and wild cats are among the ‘dangerous’ animals being privately kept in Greater Manchester, it has been revealed.
Two Dwarf Caiman crocs, four African wild cats and two capuchin monkeys are being kept thanks to licences issued under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
They are among 4,798 such animals licenced across the Great Britain, including 50 big cats such as lions, 650 venomous snakes and an elephant, according to research conducted by an animal welfare charity, Born Free Foundation. It says they are being kept as exotic pets by private owners and have called for the government to review the law and put a stop to ‘remarkable, but often deadly, creatures being in kept in unsuitable environments’.
Six of Greater Manchester’s ten local authorities told the charity it had issued no ‘dangerous wild animal’ licences.
Oldham and Rochdale councils confirmed they had each issued such licences concerning two animals, a Serval cat and a Dwarf Caiman crocodile.
Tameside council had issued licences covering two Savannah cats while in Salford permission had been granted to keep two Capuchin monkeys.
Serval and Savannah are wild cats native to Africa which can grow to 62cm at the shoulder and weigh up to 18 kilograms.
A Dwarf Caiman is a dwarf crocodile which is found in the wild in South America and can grow up to 150cm and weigh a maximum seven kilos.
The Capuchin monkey is native to south and central America. They are stocky and grow up to 55cm tall.
Although these animals can be kept as pets under licence, they remain wild animals.
Under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act of 1976, anyone in Britain can keep a dangerous wild animal as long as they obtain a licence from their local authority.
The licence application requires the owners to demonstrate that their animals are properly contained and not at risk of escape.
Born Free is calling for a review.
Earlier this year, an inquest heard that a lover of exotic animals from Hampshire died of asphyxia after his 8ft python wrapped itself around him.
Dr Chris Draper, head of animal welfare and captivity for Born Free, said: “The keeping of wild animals as pets is a growing concern. The widespread use of the internet has made it easier than ever to ‘order’ or purchase a wild animal without clarification as to where it has come from or how it should be cared for. Wild animals are particularly vulnerable to welfare problems because of their complex social, physical and behavioural needs. They require specific housing conditions, dietary requirements, and furthermore, the safety risk these animals pose to their owners and the wider public should not be ignored.”