Pet Animals (Amendment) (Hansard, 19 June 1991)

§ Mr. David Amess (Basildon)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Pet Animals Act 1951. The inspiration for the Bill comes from a song that my children are often heard singing: How much is that doggie in the window, The one with the waggly tail, How much is that doggie in the window, I do hope that doggie's for sale. My Bill is about animal welfare. It is not an attack on pet shop owners, and it is certainly not an attempt to spoil children's enjoyment. For a number of years, my long-suffering parents lived in fear of whatever animal their wayward child would next bring home. There was no limit to the range of animals that I might capture or purchase from a pet shop: goats, peacocks, pheasants, ducks, geese, salamanders, newts, snakes, frogs, toads, dogs and many others.

As a small child, I should never have been allowed to buy those animals. I had, and still have, responsible parents, who made sure that the animals were well looked after; sadly, however, there are too many instances throughout the country of cruelty to animals, which are reported by the RSPCA and other well-meaning, caring groups.

"Which?" recommends that anyone who purchases an animal should first consider who'll be responsible for your pet? Remember, children can lose interest". "Which?" also asks: how much time do you want to spend looking after your pet? Who'll look after it when you're on holiday? Is someone at home for most of the day, or should you choose a pet that's happy on its own? Can you afford to keep the pet of your choice? Consider vets' bills, food, insurance and the cost of boarding when you're away. Which kind of pet is most suitable for the size and type of home you have? Do you want a long-term or short-term commitment?"—parrots, for instance, can live for more than 100 years— many young animals need peace, quiet and lots of your time when they're new; never buy a pet as a surprise for someone, unless you're prepared to keep it yourself if it's rejected". Which?" says that it should be remembered that a pet is a commitment for 365 days a year. Only last year, the "Which?" organisation visited 100 pet shops and made return visits to 29. The majority had good practices, but in a minority it was clear that the owners had no idea how to keep the animals that they were offering for sale. I have a few examples. One shopowner told a child who wanted to purchase two guinea pigs that it was all right to keep two males together in the same cage, but very soon, one male guinea pig killed the other. Another told a child that he could keep a red-eared terrapin in an unheated tank, but terrapins need to be kept in warm water at a temperature between 23 and 30 deg C, so the terrapin died very soon after it had been bought.

Perhaps the most appalling example concerned a baby alligator. I do not know whether hon. Members have seen baby alligators, but they are rather cute, and look like a lizard. A pet shop owner sold a baby alligator to a child and, within a short time, the parents had to keep the alligator in a bath.

My Bill amends the Pet Animals Act 1951. This legislation is now 40 years old, and the range of animals 309 that are for sale in pet shops has altered tremendously in that time. There was an amendment to the Act in 1983, but my Bill will bring it much more up to date. My proposals are as follows.

First, it should be mandatory for a qualified veterinary surgeon to carry out an inspection before the local authority decides whether to issue a licence. At the moment, the inspection can be carried out by a vet or "such similar person". Local authorities should have right of entry to unlicensed premises where they suspect that animals are being sold. Most important of all, it is crazy that, at the moment, a 12-year-old can go into a pet shop and buy a piranha or a python. My Bill would ensure that no animal will be sold to a person under the age of 16 unless a parent is present and has given permission.

Furthermore, no animal should be kept for sale unless the vendor is familiar with how to care for the health and welfare of that animal. Without appropriate written instructions on this, no animal should be entrusted into the prospective purchaser's hands.

So as to improve control over the trading of dogs, the Bill requires every person who keeps a breeding establishment or who carries on a business that includes the selling of dogs as a pet to keep a record showing details of the dogs and where they have been bought and sold. I know that another Bill deals with puppy farming. This should make it difficult for a dog breeder to claim that he is operating only on a small scale or with only one or two bitches. Local authorities that license pet shops under the Pet Animals Act 1951 and the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 will have the power to demand to see the records. Schedule 3 to the Deer Bill contains a form of record that could serve as a model for the proposals in my Bill.

I make no apology for attempting to introduce yet more animal welfare legislation this year. I trust that I take the House with me when I assert that at the very heart of a civilised society is the judgment of how animals should be treated. My Bill will help to improve the general welfare of animals. I hope that the House will be seen to have a big heart today.