London, 28th February
Yesterday (27th February) evening Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation welcomed the passing of the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2023 through the House of Lords, banning the keeping of primates as pets in England from 2026 unless strict standards have been met.
The new law delivers on an important Conservative Manifesto commitment and part of Defra’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare (2021), while also building on the recent primate consultation. Under the new regulations, private primate keepers will be required to hold a licence, issued by their local authority. Failure to comply with the law could result in an unlimited fine or removal of the primate.
Defra Minister Lord Douglas-Miller commented in December 2023 when the new law was introduced to Parliament: “Primates are intelligent and curious animals and we’re delivering on our pledge to ban the keeping of these inquisitive creatures as pets…We have consistently led the world in raising the bar for animal welfare standards and this legislation is yet another step.”
During the final stage of the Bill yesterday, Baroness Jones highlighted the work of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation and other organisations in briefing Parliamentarians.
Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented: “We are pleased to see this important Manifesto commitment delivered by the Government, which will spare many primates the suffering they endure when kept as pets. Primates are unique and intelligent animals, and do not belong in domestic environments. We would like to thank Defra for their hard work in delivering this law, which we hope will encourage other countries to follow suit.”
