Under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, any establishment where
wild animals are kept for exhibition to the public (other than for the purposes
of a circus or a pet shop) requires a licence.
In order to issue the licence the council will inspect the premises and consult other local agencies such as police, fire, planning authority.
Licences are usually granted for four years.
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Additional information:
Animal Welfare Act 2006
You may be aware that the law protecting animals is changing. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 came into effect on 6 April 2007. This Act brings together and modernises animal welfare legislation, some of which dates from 1911. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 will:
- Introduce a 'duty of care' on people to ensure the needs of any animal for which they are responsible
- Create a new offence of failing to provide for the needs of an animal in your care
- Place more emphasis on owners and keepers who will need to understand their responsibilities and take all reasonable steps to provide for the needs of their animals.
Further details of how the Act may affect you can be found on Defra's and the RSPCA's website.