Memorandum submitted by Droitwich Ferret
Welfare
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A. Droitwich Ferret Welfare
— the first registered charity in the
country specialising solely in ferrets to obtain the status of
a registered charity;
— registered with the Charity Commission
in February 2004 and a member of the British Federation of Ferret
Welfares; and
— operates in Worcestershire and the
surrounding area.
B. Written Evidence
The Welfare requests that the following written
evidence be taken into consideration. In summary Droitwich Ferret
Welfare submits that:
(i) The minimum age at which a person can
keep an animal should be defined.
(ii) The owner or person legally responsible
for an animal should be capable of identification.
(iii) Legal requirements should be introduced
regulating the sale of an animal including the name and address
of the vendor.
(iv) Requirements regarding registration
and licensing should be dependent on size and scope of activity
and not on charitable status.
(v) The term "sanctuary" should
be clearly defined and provision made for fostering animals in
need.
(vi) Legally constituted specialist organisations
such as Droitwich Ferret Welfare should be consulted on the development
of the relevant Code of Practice.
(vii) Provision should be made for animal
entertainment offered by Welfare organisations and individuals
as well as companies, either by including them in the registration
requirement or providing specific exemption.
THE SUBMISSION
1. CLAUSE 2 (1)—DEFINITION OF "KEEPER
OF AN ANIMAL"
(i) Minimum Age
The age at which a person can legally keep an
animal is not defined.
We submit that the minimum age should be that
of legal responsibility or there will be no ultimate sanction
in law.
(ii) Proof of Ownership/Responsibility
In a household of two or more adults capable
in law of being the keeper of an animal it is necessary to be
able either to identify the responsible person or bring multiple
prosecutions against each adult occupying the same premises.
We submit that failure to be able to identify
the "keeper" will result in failure to bring successful
prosecutions in cases of cruelty. (Clause 3)
2. CLAUSE 4—SALES TO PERSONS UNDER
16
Young animals are often sold to adults and persons
under 16 years of age at car boot sales, on pub car parks and
at fairs and shows of all kinds. This practice provides anonymity
for the vendor and makes no provision for the continuing care
of the animal.
We submit that this clause should be extended
to legally require a vendor of any animal to:
— provide the purchaser with written
information on the animal's care;
— give the name, address and contact
details of the vendor; and
— keep a record capable of inspection
of the name, address and other contact details of every purchaser
together with a description of the animal sold—species,
breed, age, sex, and any other relevant information particularly
medical information.
3. CLAUSE 6—REGULATION TO PROMOTE WELFARE
(i) Size of the Organisation
The Bill provides for inspections of animal
sanctuaries that are registered charities to be licensed, whilst
animal sanctuaries that are not registered charities need only
be registered. (See timetable)
Ferret Welfares/Sanctuaries vary considerably
in size and area of operation. Charitable registration is not
an indication of size or scope of activity. Small organisations
caring for relatively few animals should not be burdened with
the cost and administration of licensing purely on the basis that
they are registered charities.
We submit that registration should be dependent
on size determined by the average number of animals in care at
any one time and/or the number of animals taken into care during
the preceding 12 month period.
(ii) Definition of Sanctuary
Droitwich Ferret Welfare in common with many
other similar organisations does not own premises in its own right.
Animals accepted into care are fostered by volunteers in their
own homes. The Bill does not define the term "Sanctuary".
We submit that:
— volunteers fostering animals in the
care of a Welfare organisation should not be burdened by the need
to register personally with the Local Authority;
— foster carers should be permitted
to care for a stated minimum number of animals at any one time
in accordance with an agreed Code of Practice;
— the Welfare organisation concerned
should be obliged to register with the Local Authority and be
obliged under the terms of registration to inspect and approve
foster homes; and
— nothing in the registration or licensing
regulations should prevent any person or organisation offering
appropriate emergency care and shelter to an animal in distress.
4. CLAUSE 8—MAKING AND APPROVAL OF
CODES OF PRACTICE
Identification of "Relevant Interest Groups"
In the case of specialist animals such as ferrets
it is important that the "Relevant Interest Groups"
consulted include wider representation than generalised animal
welfare organisations.
We submit that participation in the consultation
process on a Code of Practice relating to a specific animal such
as a ferret should include representatives from legally constituted
organisations of which Droitwich Ferret Welfare as a registered
charity is an example.
5. ANNEX A—PROPOSAL TO LICENSE . .
. ANIMAL RELATED ENTERTAINMENT
The Bill provides for companies who provide
other forms of entertainment (other than circuses) to be licensed/registered.
No provision has been made for welfares and
individuals to be included. Ferret clubs and welfares regularly
offer entertainment—and gambling—in the form of ferret
racing at shows, fetes and open days. Usually funds raised are
donated to animal welfares or other charitable organisations and
we have no evidence to suggest that cruelty is involved in this
activity.
We make no representation on this point other
than to recommend that such activities be taken into consideration—either
to be included or exempted—when licensing/registration regulations
are formulated.
6 August 2004
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