Aquatic trade association OATA has joined forces with a number of keeper organisations and other pet trade bodies to launch a manifesto for the forthcoming Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections.
The manifesto sets out four key priorities, with the number one ask a call for politicians to reject calls for positive/permitted lists and to 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.
OATA has co-signed the manifesto with 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, Tropical Fish keeping UK and the Reptile and Exotic Pet Trade Association (REPTA). The document has been sent to all the main political parties in both Scotland and Wales.
Scottish and Welsh nations will go to the polls on May 7 this year to vote for their elected representatives in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd.
OATA chief executive Dr Matthew Bond said: “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.
“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.”
