Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce the sale of exotic animals online.

George Eustice

We are currently reviewing animal licensing schemes, including that for the sale of pet animals, and aim to consult publicly on a set of proposals shortly. In the meantime, the welfare of all animals, including exotics, at the point of sale is protected by the Pet Animals Act 1951. The Act covers sales over the internet as long as the person selling the animals is based in Great Britain. However, we understand the concerns about internet sales and have been working closely with the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG), a group of animal welfare, veterinary, keeping and industry organisations, who have agreed, with several internet advertising sites, a set of minimum standards for animals sold over the internet. The work has so far resulted in over 130,000 inappropriate adverts being removed from the internet. We will continue to work with the PAAG so that more internet sites adopt the minimum standards.