3. Statement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs: The Wild Animals and Circuses (Wales) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:12 pm on 9 July 2019.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 3:12, 9 July 2019

Thank you, Mike Hedges, for those two questions. So, answering your second question first: birds of prey would then be captured under the animal exhibit licensing scheme that I'm bringing forward next year, following a public consultation.

In relation to why can't we ban circuses from just keeping wild animals that they then wouldn't use or exhibit, that would require a loss of ownership—it would be a deprivation of property. We don't really think that's in the public interest and it would be very difficult to justify because if that person was caring for the animal properly, and if that person wasn't caring for that wild animal properly, that would be captured in other legislation. It's obviously very difficult, then, to justify that.