OATA has joined forces with a number of other keeper organisations and fellow pet trade associations to launch a manifesto setting out four priorities for the forthcoming Scottish and Welsh elections.
Scottish and Welsh nations will both go to the polls on May 7 this year to vote for their elected representatives in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd.
The manifesto’s number one ask is for politicians to reject calls for positive/permitted lists – a pet ban by another name – and put better owner education at the heart of better pet-keeping.
Also included are calls to support pet sales in pet shops, the immediate introduction of an inspection and licencing scheme for rescues, and enshrining Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) standards into law to improve the sale of pets on online selling sites.
“While the English Animal Welfare Strategy makes no mention of positive list style pet bans, we know anti-pet-keeping groups will be targeting Scottish and Welsh administrations in an attempt to get a pet ban introduced somewhere in the UK because animal welfare is devolved matter for those respective parliaments,” explained OATA’s Chief Executive Dr Matthew Bond.
“We hope aquatic businesses and fishkeepers in both Scotland and Wales will use our manifesto to challenge prospective parliamentary candidates and ask if they will support better owner education over pet bans.
“We also hope that businesses will encourage staff and customers to sign the petition to raise awareness that keepers and industry alike do not support the idea of pet bans through positive lists.”
The joint manifesto has been sent to all the main political parties in both Scotland and Wales. The campaign is produced on behalf of:
- The Hawk Board
- The Federation of British Herpetologists
- The National Council of Aviculture
- The Parrot Society
- The National Fancy Rat Society
- Raptor Breeders UK
- Responsible Reptile Keeping
- Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association
- Tropical Fish keeping UK
- Reptile and Exotic Pet Trade Association
