A Derby magician has been hit with a £429 bill after his local council told him a rabbit that appears in his act must be covered by an animal training licence.
Stuart Brown, 60, who performs as "Magic Stuart," said he was told last week by Derby City Council that his three‑year‑old Netherland Dwarf rabbit, Snowy, falls under the category "keeping and training animals for exhibition" and therefore requires a licence. Brown said he was shocked by the size of the fee and has appealed.
Brown, who has been doing magic professionally for more than 15 years after leaving Toyota, said Snowy appears on stage for around 10 minutes and is simply placed on a table so children can take photographs. Brown said he does not train the animal to perform tricks and argued the fee is out of proportion for a single rabbit compared with larger performing collections or pet businesses.
"I couldn't believe it was over £400 for one small fluffy white bunny that is only in my show for around ten minutes," Brown said. "They said it didn't matter if I had one animal or a pet shop, it all falls into the same category. It is like someone in a bungalow and someone in a mansion paying the same council tax." He said he has emailed the council to appeal and that, if required to pay the full amount, he may have to reduce the number of unpaid charity shows he performs for children with life‑limiting illnesses.
A Derby City Council spokesperson said a licence has been required for the keeping or training of animals for exhibition since Oct. 1, 2018, under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations. "This is a legal requirement set out by the Government and the fees associated with this are in line with other local authorities across the country," the spokesperson said.
Brown said the initial charge he received was £429 and that subsequent renewals would cost around £328 every three years. He said he is willing to pay a licence fee but believes the banding should reflect the scale and nature of his use of the animal — he described Snowy as "not part of my act" and said the rabbit does not perform tricks.
The dispute highlights differences in how local authorities interpret and apply national licensing rules introduced to improve animal welfare standards and public safety. Under the 2018 regulations, activities that fall under the scope of "exhibition" can include animals used for entertainment or public display, and local authorities set fees to cover the cost of administering licences and inspections.
Performers and small‑scale operators have complained in other areas that licensing banding can be inflexible, grouping single‑animal exhibitors with pet shops or commercial collections. Councils have said consistent enforcement is necessary to ensure welfare standards and that fees reflect administrative and inspection costs.
Brown said his business is a sole trader operation and that the fee could have a tangible financial impact. "I am not a millionaire. I am just trying to make a living," he said. He added that many of his bookings are on a small scale and that increased costs would make it harder to continue unpaid appearances for charities.
Derby City Council did not provide further details about the appeals process in its statement, beyond reiterating that the requirement is a statutory obligation and that fees are comparable with those charged by other councils. Brown said he awaits a response to his appeal and hopes for a reduced banding or exemption that recognises the limited role of Snowy in his performances.