In a recent overhaul of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act (1976) the British government have removed the need to obtain licenses for a number of exotic pets. Whereas previously you had to go through a lengthy and expensive bureaucratic process to own a woolly lemur, North American porcupine, or squirrel monkey; now all you need to do is saunter down to your local Pets-at-home and order half a dozen of each.
This change in the law has ramifications for the blogging community too. Jeff may well be emigrating to England when he learns that over here he can keep as many emus in his back garden as he wishes. Greg, Deb, and Bon Bon however will probably be staying put as Badgers alas remain prohibited. Lee will also not be emigrating as he will be unable to take with him his beloved pet dingo and red and grey kangaroos.
The actual process of drawing up the reforms must have been incredibly stressful. There are a number of powerful lobby groups in the UK that had to be dealt with: The Brazilian Wolf Spider Owners Society, the Keep Earless Seals Off Our Streets Campaign (KESOOC), and of course the highly militant Liberate Leaping Lemurs League. No, it mustn’t have been an easy job.
And so who can blame the poor junior minister in charge if he cracked under the strain. So what if he made up a few animals in order to flesh out the list. He’s only human after all. Anyway, maybe one day scientist will discover a cacomistles, a binturong, or a kinkajou. Who knows what the future will bring. And besides, Lewis Carroll made his fame and fortune by talking absolute claptrap about Jabberwockys and Bandersnatchs and all sorts of rubbish. Give a man a break.
Incidentally, you will all no doubt be delighted to learn that chickens remains joyfully off the prohibited list.
on Nov 10th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Who in their right mind would want a porcupine for a pet? They’re not exactly cuddly and their personalities are slightly more animated than, say, a rock.
But I’m glad you can have one now if you want.
on Nov 10th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Am liking the sound of a kinkajou, though I cannot help but wonder what it will look like and what characteristics it might have.
on Nov 10th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Cacomistles are from Oregon in the USA and binturongs are indigenous to SE Asia. You actually can get a kinkajou (or could as of 8 years ago) in the US. I minded one for a friend in NJ for two weeks while he was on vacation. They’re nocturnal and she (a female) was rather hyper at night. And very vocal! She came to the US via Mexico.
African Pygmy hedgehogs are related to porcupines and make wonderful pets, though they’re short-lived. They adapt well to being with humans and have a strange behavior termed “self annointing” which entails licking your hand or finger almost franticly and then spreading a frothy saliva with your scent on themselves.
on Nov 11th, 2007 at 10:05 am
I often wonder who was the first person to decide that tortoises would be good to use as pets, we had two when I was a kid and they both ran away from home - that should tell you plenty about my levels of attentiveness in those days.
on Nov 11th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
I think I quite fancy having a pygmy hedgehog. But I suspect they don’t mix well with cats. Incidentally, aren’t small male children on the prescribed list? I’m nursing a bruise inflicting by dudelet running head on into me (as in charging at me with his head down and stopping on impact) and I think they should be.
on Nov 11th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
It’s always the grey and red kanga’s that get picked on!! What about the vicious Burnt Umber Kangaroo!?!
Surprisingly enough, whilst common, very few people actually have kangaroos for pets, I mean crocodiles sure, who doesn’t know the joy of leaving your crocodile tied up at the post when popping into the local corner store!?
on Nov 12th, 2007 at 4:59 am
alas, Greg must keep his badger hidden in his pants.
on Nov 12th, 2007 at 9:37 am
I wish I had a binturong…
on Dec 1st, 2007 at 1:35 am
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