Major new Restrictions on Exotic Pet Keeping in the Netherlands Raise Hopes that UK will Follow
BRIGHTON, England, February 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
A new Dutch regulation came into force yesterday (1 February 2015) that limits the type of animals that can be kept as pets. Animals not included on the new 'Positive List' cannot be legally kept or may only be kept with a special permit. The Animal Protection Agency (APA), which campaigns against the trade in wild animals as pets, has greatly welcomed this new legislation and hopes that the UK (DEFRA and the devolved administrations) will also adopt this proven, practical and pragmatic approach.
First to be listed are mammals, although reptiles and birds will follow. The UK pet trade offers a diverse range of exotic mammals, including meerkats, sugar gliders, sloths, skunks, kinkajous, fennec foxes and several primate species, which can be purchased without the need for a licence. According to leading animal welfare scientists, exotic species are essentially wild animals that do not adapt to captivity and are therefore not suitable pets. Unfortunately, although they have complex care needs and require specialised and expensive husbandry and veterinary care, traders often wrongly promote exotic mammals as 'easy pets'. Exotic pets can also pose health and safety risks to their keepers and, if escaped or released, can damage the environment.
A positive list for mammals has been in force in Belgium since 2001, where it has been highly effective -- illegal trade has reduced and fewer animals go to rescue shelters. Many other European countries are now considering positive lists. The Animal Protection Agency has, for some years, been pressing for the adoption of positive lists in the UK, Europe and elsewhere.
The University of Wageningen developed the scientific method used to build the positive list, in which animal behavioural needs are a key feature. The positive list favours domesticated species such as: dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, brown rats, house mice, horses, donkeys, pigs, cattle and sheep. Stichting AAP (AAP Foundation), a leading rescue facility in Almere in The Netherlands that specialises in primates and other exotic mammals, has been campaigning for a positive list for 22 years. The Foundation sat on the expert panel that gathered available scientific and practical information about the animals. The State Secretary for Economic Affairs made the final decision as to whether to place an animal on the positive list.
Says David van Gennep, Executive Director of Stichting AAP : "We're very happy with this list. AAP is faced on a daily basis with owners who want to get rid of their exotic pet, because the animal was an ill-conceived, impulsive purchase. Raccoons, skunks or even kinkajous: You wouldn't believe the range of animals that get brought in here. The situation is so serious that the demand for housing facilities is considerably higher than the capacity of our rescue centers. We expect the Positive List to improve the welfare situation of the animals."
Says Elaine Toland, Director of the Animal Protection Agency: "One only has to compare the natural life of a meerkat, which has evolved to live in large social groups, hunt for a variety of foods and reside in intricate underground burrows to see that these mammals, and many other exotic species, do not belong in the pet trade. Simples! The Dutch positive list shines more light at the end of the tunnel for anyone dealing with the fallout of the exotic pet trade, which has long been out of control."
The Dutch positive list permits owners of prohibited species to keep their animals until they die but trading or breeding from their animals is not allowed. Anyone who acquires a prohibited species risks prosecution and having their animal confiscated.
Editor's notes:
- See the appendix below for a full list of permitted animals.
- For further information please contact Elaine Toland on +44(0)1273-674253, or out of hours on +44(0)7986-535024.
- We have an ISDN line for broadcast-quality radio interviews.
APPENDIX: COMPLETE LIST OF ALLOWED ANIMALS
Table 1 Positive list, animal species that can be held without application of species-specific regulations for keeping animals.
Scientific name English name
Canis lupus familiaris Domestic dog
Felis catus Domestic cat
Atelerix albiventris African pygmy hedgehog
Capra aegragus Wild goat
Capra caucasica Western tur
Capra cylindricornis Eastern tur
Capra falconeri Markhor
Capra ibex Alpine ibex
Capra nubiana Nubian ibex
Capra pyrenaica Iberian wild goat
Capra sibirica Siberian ibex
Capra walie Walia ibex
Gerbillus amoenus Pleasant gerbil
Gerbillus aquilus Swarthy gerbil
Gerbillus cheesmani Cheesman's gerbil
Gerbillus garamantis Algerian gerbil
Gerbillus gerbillus Lesser Egyptian gerbil
Gerbillus nanus Dwarf gerbil
Gerbillus perpallidus Pale gerbil
Gerbillus pyramidum Greater Egyptian gerbil
Lemniscomys barbarus Barbary striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys bellieri Bellier's striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys griselda Griselda's striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys hoogstraali Hoogstraal's striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys linulus Senegal one-striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys macculus Buffoon striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys mittendorfi Mittendorf's striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys rosalia Single-striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys roseveari Rosevear's striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys striatus Typical striped grass mouse
Lemniscomys zebra Heuglin's striped grass mouse
Macropus (Macropus)
giganteus Eastern grey kangaroo
Macropus (Notamacropus)
parma Parma wallaby
Macropus (Osphranter)
robustus Common walaroo
Macropus (Notamacropus)
rufogriseus Red-necked wallaby
Oryctolagus cuniculus
(domestic form) Domestic rabbit
Rattus norvegicus Brown rat
Mus Musculus domesticus House mouse
Cavia porcellus Guinea pig
Mesocricetus auratus Golden hamster
Meriones (Pallasiomys)
unguiculatus Mongolian gerbil
Neovison vison American mink
Equus caballus (excluding
Przewalskii) Horse
Equus asinus asinus Donkey
Sus scrofa (domestic form) Domestic pig
Capra hircus (domestic
form) Goat
Bos taurus (domestic form) Cattle
Bubalus bubalis (domestic
form) Water buffalo
Dama dama Fallow deer
Cervus elaphus Red deer
Ovis aries Sheep
Table 2: animal species that can be held with application of species-specific regulations for keeping animals.
Scientific name English name
Callosciurus adamsi Ear-spot squirrel
Callosciurus albescens Kloss's squirrel
Callosciurus baluensis Kinabalu squirrel
Callosciurus caniceps Grey-bellied squirrel
Callosciurus finlaysonii Finlayson's squirrel
Callosciurus inornatus Inornate squirrel
Callosciurus melanogaster Mentawi squirrel
Callosciurus nigrovittatus Black-striped squirrel
Callosciurus notatus Plaintain squirrel
Callosciurus orestes Borneo black-banded squirrel
Callosciurus phayrei Phayre's squirrel
Callosciurus prevostii Prevost's squirrel
Callosciurus pygerythrus Hoary-bellied squirrel
Callosciurus quinquestriatus Anderson's squirrel
Equus burchelli Plains zebra
Equus ferus przewalskii Przewalski's horse
Equus grevyi Grevy's zebra
Equus hemionus Asiatic wild ass
Equus hemionus khur Indian wild ass
Equus kiang Kiang
Equus zebra Mountain zebra
Hystrix (Acanthion)
brachyura Malayan porcupine
Hystrix (Hystrix)
africaeaustralis Cape porcupine
Hystrix (Hystrix) cristata Crested porcupine
Hystrix (Thecurus)
crassispinis Thick-spined porcupine
Hystrix (Hystrix) indica Indian-crested porcupine
Hystrix (Acanthion) javanica Sunda porcupine
Hystrix (Thecurus) pumila Phillipine porcupine
Hystrix (Thecurus) sumatrae Sumatran porcupine
Macropus (Notamacropus)
agilis Agile wallaby
Macropus (Osphranter) rufus Red kangaroo
Sciurus (Otosciurus) aberti Albert's squirrel
Sciurus (Tenes) anomalus Causasian squirrel
Sciurus (Guerlinguetus)
granatensis Red-tailed squirrel
Sciurus (Urosciurus)
igniventris Northern Amazon red squirrel
Sciurus (Sciurus) lis Japanese squirrel
Sciurus (Sciurus)
variegatoides Variegated squirrel
Sciurus (Sciurus) vulgaris Eurasian red squirrel
Sus ahoenobarbus Palawan bearded pig
Sus barbatus Bearded pig
Sus bucculentus Indo-Chinese warty pig
Sus cebifrons Visayan warty pig
Sus celebensis Sulawesi warty pig
Sus oliveri Oliver's warty pig
Sus philippensis Philippene warty pig
Sus salvanius Pygmy hog
Sus scrofa Wild boar
Sus verrucosus Javan warty pig
Animal Protection Agency
Brighton Media Centre
15-17 Middle Street
Brighton
BN1 1AL
http://www.apa.org.uk
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