Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the National Animal Sanctuary Alliance
Animal sanctuaries provide such a valuable service
to the community that there should not be a fee element to any
licensing—as this treats them more like commercial profit
making enterprises who do not give that community benefit.
It would be worth noting that we do have one
vocal member of NASA who does disagree with our stance who wishes
for there to be no licensing whatsoever and fears that the RSPCA
would be involved in drafting guidelines for the likes of wildlife
rehabilitation. It is our understanding no one organisation would
have this power and that the Bill does not cover such specific
views, but that it would be for local authorities to administer
any licence.
If the Bill did add in criteria for wildlife
rehabilitation, then we would need much more debate—many
of our members are no kill sanctuaries and do feel if a wild animal
cannot be rehabilitated, that there are occasions where a wild
animal can be given a reasonable quality of life without being
released. Most follow their own vet's advice on the issue as we
do. The one member who does have these worries fears that such
sanctuaries would be forced to euthanase every wild animal unable
to be released without consideration to quality of life for the
animal.
13 September 2004
| 
