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A spectacled caiman. Udo Schroter via Flickr/Creative Commons
The Daily PollPoll: Should pet owners need licences for exotic animals?
Dog owners do need a licence for their pet – but you can buy a snake or alligator without a licence.
DOG OWNERS MUST have a licence for their pet – but if you want to own an exotic animal, you don’t need one in Ireland.
It is possible to buy a spectacled caiman from a pet store without a licence, as the Irish Mail on Sunday shows in today’s issue. It says these reptiles can grow up to 7ft.
While a licence is required to keep animals that are considered “wild, dangerous or exotic” in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, this is not the case here.
There are currently no plans to regulate ownership of such animals in Ireland.
We ask: Should pet owners need licenses for exotic animals?
Poll Results:
No (2037)
Yes (1889)
I don't know (131)
have your say