More than 2,200 animals classified as 'dangerous', including tigers, crocodiles, and venomous snakes, are currently being kept in homes and other private settings across Britain, according to research by the wildlife charity Born Free. The charity is urging an update to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act (DWAA) of 1976, which governs the private ownership of such creatures.
While some of these animals are housed in educational facilities, sanctuaries, or conservation projects, Born Free states that many are likely kept in private homes, posing potential risks to public safety and causing suffering to the animals themselves. The charity also suggests that the number of dangerous wild animals held illegally could be significantly higher.
Data obtained from local authorities reveals that over 500 venomous snakes are privately owned, an increase from 403 in 2023. The number of primates in private ownership has also risen from 256 in 2023 to 293. Additionally, there are 79 crocodiles, alligators, and caimans, and 166 wild cats, including lions, pumas, and tigers, kept privately.
Specific examples cited include alligators and gila monsters in Angus, cheetahs in Cheshire, and the world's deadliest snake, the saw-scaled viper, licensed in Greater London. Scotland has the highest number of licensed wild cat hybrids, while Carmarthenshire in Wales is home to the only elephant kept under such a license.
Born Free highlighted a trend, potentially fueled by social media, of owning small wild cats and their hybrids. Later-generation hybrids may fall outside the current licensing requirements while still exhibiting significant wild traits. Luna, a bobcat that was kept as a pet and later in a garden enclosure, is one example of such a situation.
Chris Lewis, Born Free's captivity research and policy manager, noted that the DWAA was intended to make the keeping of dangerous wild animals an exceptional circumstance. He pointed out that nearly ten times more venomous snakes are kept privately in Britain than in British zoos. Lewis also criticized the practice of crossbreeding servals with domestic cats to create hybrids and the continued confinement of primates, which the government acknowledges are unsuited for pet ownership.
This issue gained recent attention following the discovery of a common marmoset in a cage on a London bus. The primate was found in a laundry bag on a route between Mill Hill Broadway Station and Kensal Rise. Although the monkey was found to be healthy, its abandonment is suspected to be linked to a new law in April requiring all primates kept in England to be licensed.
Dame Joanna Lumley, founder patron of Born Free, stated that wild animals should not be kept as pets and their place is in the wild. She expressed shock at the number of dangerous animals still legally held in private hands, contributing to a cruel trade.
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed that individuals seeking to keep animals covered by the DWAA must undergo thorough vetting and obtain a license with strict conditions for animal welfare and public safety.
Born Free's research also documented cases such as a ring-tailed lemur found in a dimly lit shed.
