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<p>The schedule to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 was last updated in 2007, following
review and consultation. The Act itself was updated in 2010, following further review
and consultation, to allow local authorities to focus their enforcement activity more
effectively. The Act’s original aim was to ensure that where private individuals keep
dangerous wild animals they do so in circumstances which create no risk to the public.
Based on available evidence, including the absence of reported attacks on the public
by escaped dangerous wild animals, we consider that the Act is fulfilling those objectives.</p><p>
</p><p>However, while there are appropriate public safety measures in place for the
keeping of dangerous wild animals, the Government wants to look more closely at the
wider animal welfare law to see whether it needs to be improved in relation to the
welfare of exotic, non-domesticated animals traded and kept as pets. Defra has already
begun this process with a call for evidence and a public consultation to help inform
the approach to delivering the Government’s manifesto commitment to ban the keeping
of primates as pets.</p>
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