Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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470. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide information on the regulations of setting up a petting farm here; if a special licence to import exotic animals is needed; if so, the way a person may apply for this licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19930/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Farms involved in the keeping of pets and trade in such animals must comply with the ‘Balai’ Directive 92/65/EEC which governs animal health controls for intra community and third country trade in certain animals such as elephants, giraffes, deer, alpaca and primates which are not covered under other community Directives relating, for example, to cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. Premises trading in such animals (other than primates) must be registered under this Directive, and if they are trading in primates, they must also be approved under this Directive. The requirements for approval include an annual official audit, own attending private veterinarian, an annual disease surveillance plan, and compliance with a range of disease control and reporting measures.

Farm animals on pet farms are also subject to my Department’s legislative requirements on animal health and welfare.

The regulation of zoos, which include all permanent establishments where animals of wild species are kept for exhibition to the public for 7 or more days a year, with the exception of circuses, pet shops and establishments which Member States exempt from the requirements of the Zoo Directive, comes under the remit of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and zoo licences are issued by that Department in accordance with the Regulations.