Minister announces wild animal legislation plans

The Department of Environment has begun a 12 week consultation exercise on proposals to introduce legislation to regulate dangerous wild animals kept by private individuals in Northern Ireland.

The legislation comes after weeks of sightings across Northern Ireland of wild animals which have allegedly attacked local farmland animals.

NIO Minister, Angela Smith said: “I am very aware of public concern that the keeping of dangerous animals should be properly regulated and there have been some very graphic examples of this problem recently.

“Under the proposals anyone owning or wishing to own such an animal will be required to obtain a licence from the DOE. Licences will only be issued where the DOE is satisfied that the animal can be kept securely and properly looked after.

Former MLA, UUP member David McClarty said the proposed legislation to regulate dangerous animals was long overdue.

Commenting on Angela Smith’s announcement, he said: “With the scale of fear and concern for public safety around the North Coast area in recent weeks due to the presence of a wild animal roaming free, this move is welcome but long overdue.

“It seems totally absurd that this regulatory legislation has been in place on the mainland for almost 30 years but was not in force in Northern Ireland. Up to now a crazy situation existed where anyone could keep a wild animals without having to register them."

Mr McClarty said he hoped today's announcement would go a long way to ensuring that similar situations to the one being experienced in the North West at present aren't repeated.

(MB)