Huge success for our Dutch member organisations Stichting AAP and Dierenbescherming, who welcomed the adoption by the Minister for Agriculture of a positive list of exotic and non-exotic mammals which may be kept by private individuals. The list will be effective as of January 2014.
Until now in the EU, only Belgium has had a true positive list for mammals, while 17 countries had a negative list covering a few species (great apes) and a wider range of dangerous animals. The regulation of the private keeping of wild animals is left to EU Member States. While all of them have some type of animal protection law, the level of protection, the animals covered and the rules related to the private keeping of exotic animals vary greatly.
AAP, a European rescue centre for exotic animals near Amsterdam, currently plans to increase its shelter capacity and address an expected rise in rescued animals. On 10 July, Eurogroup for Animals and its Member Organisation Stichting AAP will celebrate the opening of AAP’s new primate hall and quarantine with a one-day seminar on positive lists and exotic pets.
