The Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights Roderick Galdes, has announced today that following several months of work, new regulations on dangerous animals have been launched which will stop the importation of these animals by individuals due to three main reasons: the protection of the animal in question, security of the public, and the effect on local fauna.

Mr Galdes explained that those dangerous animals that are already on the islands with private collectors, will be allowed to keep them, but they must be registered within 90 days for a nominal fee of €10.

He said that from now only licensed zoos will be able to import them. This will stop the importation of certain animals by individuals

This does not apply to licensed zoos which are regulated by a separate law, he said.

Owners must register all offspring against a fee. The Authorities are also to be informed with regards to the transfer of animals, death or escape.

He pointed out that through these new regulations, the Government will now have a real statistical picture of these animals in our country, their movement and location. For this purpose any exotic animal must have identification, such as microchips, tattoos, DNA profiling or other means, to identify the animal with the owner.

Parliamentary Secretary Galdes stated that in the case of an animal not being registered or illegally imported, the Government had the right to seize the animal and auction it off, even abroad if necessary, with funds received going to the Animal Welfare Department.

Photograph: DOI/Jeremy Wonnacott

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