New European animal laws worry UK hobbyists

Reptile hobbyists in the UK are watching closely as new legislation unfolds in other member countries of the European Union.

Legislators in Holland have imposed "white list" restrictions on the types of mammals that can be kept in that country, with similar lists for reptiles and birds to be revealed soon.

White list legislation comprises a list of species that can be kept in that country, with all other species becoming illegal. Although this type of legislation is condemned by most pet and welfare experts, it is becoming the holy grail of animal-rights groups in Europe and around the world, as these laws impose the greatest restrictions on the number of species that can be kept.

The alternative "black list" approach to legislation, which only outlaws those species that are proved to be problematic or invasive, is more widely adopted where proper research and consultation has been conducted. However, with several European countries considering white-list laws, British keepers are worried that this legislation could be adopted and rolled out across the entire Euro-zone.

Britain’s reptile hobby and trade have been well protected by advocate organizations such as The Reptile and Exotic Pet Trade and the Federation of British Herpetologists, and so home-grown legislation is unlikely to be problematic. However, reptile keepers are poorly represented in European political circles where animal rights groups are active, well-funded, and organized.

Should the EU Commission decide to heed the lobbying of these groups, the legislation produced there would override any British laws.