In a revealing study published by wildlife charity Born Free, alarming statistics have surfaced about the scale of dangerous wild animals kept as pets in the UK. With more than 2,700 such animals living in private homes under current legislation, the organization is now urging for immediate action to revise the laws for the safety of the public and the welfare of these animals.
The 2023 research highlights the diverse and concerning range of animals being kept, including over 200 wild cats, 250 primates, and a staggering 400 venomous snakes—a figure tenfold that of those in zoos. From bush vipers in Bedfordshire to cheetahs in Cheshire, and caimans in Kent to lynxes in Lincolnshire, the variety of species held in domestic environments underlines a nationwide issue.
