RSPCA Concern Over DWA Changes

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (RSPCA) has expressed concern that more people could buy exotic pets without knowing how to look after them properly now that changes to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 mean 33 species no longer need licences.

The changes, which recently came into effect, have removed many animals from the list for which licences are needed, including squirrel monkeys, sloths, emus and racoons.

The RSPCA is urging people to research whether they can properly look after exotic pets before they buy them and equally, urging pet shops to inform customers of the welfare needs of the animals they sell.

The RSPCA surveyed 282 pet shops in England and Wales - as part of a report called The Welfare State due to be published later this month - which showed that:

  • only 20% of shops provided free care sheets to potential buyers and excluding one major pet shop chain, this went down to just five%


  • 20% of potential pet buyers were given no care advice whatsoever


  • 2% of pet shops sold crocodilians, such as caimans


  • of reptiles surveyed, only 25% of cages displayed information about how big the animal inside would grow.


    • Previous research carried out by the RSPCA shows that the most common problems exotic pet owners experience (reported by more than 40% of keepers) stem from a lack of information provided by the supplier. Some 21% reported difficulties simply feeding their pets, while 8% said their pets were growing too fast.

    The following species, have been removed from the DWA Schedule and will no longer require licences:

    Woolly lemurs (Avahi laniger)
    Tamarins (species of the genera Leontopithecus and Saguinus)
    Night or Owl monkeys (species of the genus Aotus)
    Titis monkeys (species of the genus Callicebus)
    Squirrel monkeys (species of the genus Saimiri)
    Sloths (Bradypodidae)
    North American porcupine (Erithizon dorsatum)
    Capybara (Hydrochaeridae)
    Crested porcupines (species of the genus Hystrix)
    Cat hybrids (whose ancestry is predominantly Felis silvestris catus - the domestic cat)
    Wild cat (Felis silvestris)
    Pallas cat (Otocolobus manul)
    Little spotted cat (Leopardus tigrinus)
    Geoffroy's cat (Oncifelis geoffroyi)
    Kodkod (Oncifelis guigna)
    Bay cat (Catopuma badia)
    Sand cat (Felis margarita)
    Black-footed cat (Felis nigripes)
    Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus)
    Cacomistles (species of the genus Bassariscus)
    Raccoons (species of the genus Procyon)
    Coatis (species of the genus Nasua)
    Olingos (species of the genus Bassaricyon)
    Little coatimundi (Nasuella olivacea)
    Kinkajou (Potos flavus)
    Binturong (Arctictis binturong)
    Hyraxes (Procaviidae)
    Guanaco (Lama guanicoe)
    Vicugna (Vicugna vicugna)
    Emus (Dromaiidae)
    Sand snakes (species of the genus Psammophis)
    Mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila)
    Brazilian wolf spider (Lycosa raptoria)

    The following species have been added to the Schedule and will now require licensing:

    Argentine black-headed snake (Elapomorphus lemniscatus)
    Peruvian racer (Tachymenis peruviana)
    South American green racer (Philodryas olfersii)
    Amazon false viper (Xenodon severus)
    Middle Eastern thin-tailed scorpion (Hemiscorpius lepturus)
    Dingo (Canis familiaris dingo)