The Public Safety Issue

In recent years exotic pets have become increasingly popular and available in Ireland. In addition to those relatively harmless snakes and lizards commonly kept as pets there is a demand among some private keepers for potentially dangerous species and it is certain that the numbers of such animals being kept in Ireland has grown considerably. There are a number of very real risks associated with such unregulated growth in the numbers of such animals, not least a very real threat to public safety.

There have been occasions when exotic and potentially dangerous types of animals have escaped from their keepers, posing a serious threat to the general public and agricultural livestock. Thankfully, most of these animals have been recaptured before being able to do any harm though some have had to be tranquilised. It is only a matter of time before there is a more tragic conclusion to such an incident.

As things stand at present, there is NO LAW which regulates the keeping of such animals on private property to which the public are not granted access. Without such a law, it is inevitable that in the future people are going to be seriously injured or killed.

The ISPCA is responding to this situation by proposing a piece of legislation which will help ensure this scenario will not happen.

What exactly does the ISPCA legislation on Exotic Animals propose?

You are required by law to hold a license to own a dog, but not a tiger! The ISPCA proposes two tiers of licence to keep exotic species:

1. A simple, cheap licence to keep exotic animals which are not deemed to be dangerous species (i.e. most exotic birds, reptiles and smaller mammals)
2. A second type of licence for those animals which are realistically classed as dangerous. This would require owners to have secure and suitable caging, adequate public safety measures, etc.

The ISPCA propose that a licensing authority be set up to administer the law. Knowledgeable wildlife inspectors and veterinarians would be in charge of issuing licences, and we would hope that the Gardaí would appoint a special wildlife officer (which most other police forces already have), who would assist in the legal aspects of the implementation of the legislation.

Where are these animals?

• Circuses: At present, circuses are not regulated in any way in Ireland. There have been a number of incidents involving circus animals in recent years including a circus worker being gored and trampled by an elephant (June 2005), a child being bitten by a circus monkey (July 2005) and camels running loose on a busy dual carriageway in morning traffic (February 2004). A mother and her young child were also terrorised by an escaped monkey in their garden in Waterford and in May 2006 ISPCA Officials were contacted about a monkey which appeared to have been abandoned in a van that had been left in to a garage for repairs a week previously.
  
  Thankfully, there is a change in attitude towards circuses that use animals in their acts and in October 2007 Fingal County Council banned circuses with wild animals from performing within their area.
  
  In April 2008 Cork County Council banned circuses with wild animals from performing on council lands. The ISPCA welcomes these recent developments but urges more local authorities to follow suit. The ISPCA also asks the public to boycott circuses using animals in their acts.
  The ISPCA believes that circuses which use performing animals are cruel and unnecessary. Please don’t go to them. There are many circuses without animals – try those instead. Find out why.
• Mini-Zoos: It used to be that even somebody with absolutely no knowledge of animals could open a zoo in Ireland! However, in response to an EU Directive, S.I. No 440 of 2003, the European Communities (licensing and inspection of zoos) Regulations, 2003 were introduced. Under this legislation any facility that displays animals and charges an entrance fee is deemed a zoo and can only legally operate with a zoo licence which is granted by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in conjunction with the European Zoos Commission.
  
  For a licence to be issued certain conservation interests must be fulfilled. Extensive and detailed information on health and safety, staff training, record keeping, animal husbandry etc. must also be submitted prior to inspection and consideration for licensing. Licensed premises will also be inspected annually to ensure that they consistently achieve the required standards.
  
  The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government have recently begun to rigorously enforce these regulations and brought qualified personnel from the UK to Ireland to inspect any premises that may potentially require licensing under the regulations. The ISPCA welcomes this positive development.
• Pet Trade/Private Keepers: There has been a huge upsurge in the demand for increasingly more exotic animals by the pet trade and private keepers. Unscrupulous animal dealers have cashed in on the public's lack of knowledge, and lion, tiger and other cubs have been offered for sale. We know that Crocodilians, including crocodiles, alligators and caiman, are being imported in significant numbers. Most of these animals die an early death because people don't know how to look after them. Those that do grow up to adulthood can easily kill people.
  
  Those exotic and dangerous in the hands of private collectors are in many ways of most concern since there is NO control or regulation of such animals after they enter the country. Since these animals are not required to be licensed, the authorities simply don't know where they are or in what numbers.

Are there any other risks associated with Exotic Animals?

Improved public safety and animal welfare are not only good reasons to support the ISPCA's call for legislation. Other benefits will include:

• Reduced risk of imported exotic diseases being passed on to Ireland's native animals and agricultural livestock.
• Reduced risk of the spread of zoonotic diseases to humans. There are very many of them, and some can be fatal.
• Regulation helps prevent the illegal smuggling and trade in wild animals. Many of them are endangered species, so legislation will also have a valuable conservation effect.
• Regulation helps promote responsible pet ownership, and a greater consideration for exotic animals, which often suffer greatly in captivity.

How can you help?

If you agree with the ISPCA that this is a much needed piece of legislation you can help have it passed into law by writing to your local councillors, T.D.'s, M.E.P.'s and to the Minister of Justice. Ask them if they are aware of the extent of the problem, and tell them that you want them, as your public representatives to do everything that they can to help this proposal become law.