Government response
Introduction
The Government is grateful to the House of Commons
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee for its report on
the inquiry into primates as pets. Defra welcomes the contribution
that this report makes to improving the welfare of primates. Primates
are complex animals that require specialist attention; something
abundantly clear from the report and the evidence provided to
the Committee. The nature of these animals means that their welfare
must be paramount. The report is timely given the Government intention
to review the Primate code. The Government's detailed response
to the recommendations is set out below.
Recommendation 1:
1. We recommend that Defra commission independent
research on the number and type of primates being traded and kept
as pets in the UK. To increase the reliability of this research,
we recommend that private keepers be given six months to register
their primates before research begins. This call for registration
should be supported by a publicity campaign explaining the benefits
of registration, or a sanction. The Government should inform us
of the results of this research within six months of receiving
them, along with its plans for securing the welfare of pet primates
in light of these results.
The Government agrees that there are varying estimates
of the number of privately held primates. However, there is no
evidence to support the higher level estimates of the numbers
involved which might justify the considerable effort and public
expense involved in research in this area.
The Government notes the evidence from Andrew Greenwood
of the British Veterinary Zoological Society that "the
numbers are way overestimated, possibly by a factor of 10. The
numbers of primates in this country is probably fewer than 1,000.
We have had figures cited up to 9,000; they are completely out
of the air". There is also no guarantee that such an
exercise would produce a figure or range that was any more accurate
than the estimated ones we have currently.
The Government has noted some of the higher estimates
of primates are based on a misquotation from the 2001 review of
the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (DWAA). The report was incorrectly
attributed as indicating that there was an 85% to 95% non-compliance
rate with the DWAA. However, the report did not suggest this and
in fact stated the following: "Estimates from animal keeping
organisations and the pet trade suggest an 85-95% rate of noncompliance,
however we have found no proof to support non-compliance of
this magnitude". We therefore consider that some
of the higher estimates (7,500+) to be based on misleading information.
On that basis the Government does not consider it
would be the best use of public resources, which need to be prioritised,
to undertake independent research on the number and type of primates
being traded and kept as pets in the UK.
It is also worth remembering that under the Animal
Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to fail to provide for the
welfare needs of an animal. Keeping a primate as a pet would compromise
its welfare and therefore be an offence under the Animal Welfare
Act 2006.
Defra will continue to work with key stakeholders
to raise awareness of primate welfare and to ensure that the key
message that primates should not be kept as pets is disseminated
as far as possible.
Recommendation 2:
2. We recommend that the Government take the opportunity
presented by its forthcoming review of the Primate Code to ensure
that the Code is drafted in a clear and precise manner that makes
it easy to enforce and comply with. We also recommend that species-specific
appendices are added to the Primate Code. The Government should
begin its review with immediate effect.
Recommendation 3:
3. We recommend that the Government adopt a "primate-centred"
approach when it reviews the Primate Code. This should include
raising the standards in the Code to a level equivalent to zoo
standards and ensuring that the Code adequately covers all stages
in the life of a privately kept primate, including breeding and
transportation.
Defra will ensure that the recommendations about
the primate code are fully considered as part of the review.
Recommendation 4:
4. We recommend that Defra review the Pet Animals
Act 1951 to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in the
internet age. (Paragraph 62)
The Government considers that regardless of the age
of the Pet Animals Act 1951, it still provides appropriate protection
for the welfare of animals sold as pets. The 1951 Act makes clear
that a pet shop is: the "carrying on at premises of any
nature (including a private dwelling) of a business of selling
animals as pets…". This would therefore include
businesses selling primates over the internet. Even a business
selling over the internet must have premises where the animals
are held and therefore should be licensed and subject to inspection.
However, we also consider that it is necessary to
educate both internet advertisers and potential owners about how
to sell or buy an animal. To this end, Defra is working with the
Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG—a group of animal welfare
organisations and pet-keeping interests) to encourage on line
advertisers to apply PAAG's minimum standards for the online advertising
of pets. The standards were launched in September 2013 at an event
in the House of Commons and are endorsed by Defra. The standards
are important because the internet is an established medium for
people who wish to buy and sell pet animals. Standard 13 states
clearly, among other things, primates should not be offered for
sale. (See:
http://paag.org.uk/standards/)
As a result of the application of the standards and
moderation of the sites by PAAG volunteers, a number of inappropriate
adverts have been removed by the sites. In some cases it has been
possible to report advertisers to the police and trading standards
for their consideration.
Lord de Mauley has held two meetings with the major
advertising sites to emphasise the importance of the standards,
and the efforts being made to improve the advertising of pets
online. A further meeting is planned later this year to check
on progress.
Recommendation 5:
5. We recommend that Defra launch a public education
campaign to raise awareness of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act
1976 and the Primate Code among local authorities, primate keepers
and members of the public. (Paragraph 79)
In taking forward publicity regarding the keeping
of primates, Defra will make sure that this includes publicising
the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 and the Primate Code.
Recommendation 6:
6. We recommend that Defra issue its guidance
to local authorities on the provisions and implementation of the
Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 without further delay. This guidance
should include advice to authorities on employing experts from
the zoo licensing inspectors list or those with diplomas in zoo
and wildlife medicine. (Paragraph 84)
Defra agrees that guidance on the Dangerous Wild
Animals Act 1976 is overdue. We will ensure therefore that it
is published in the next 12 months and includes a reference to
the potential use of zoo inspectors or zoo vets for accommodation
inspections which involve the more exotic species, such as primates,
prior to the grant or renewal of a licence.
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