# DWA License in UK - Danger Wild Animal



## Charlie_Scorp (Dec 16, 2006)

I know this comes up from time to time but I have looked into it over past last week and the info may be useful, especially to those in Scotland, plus probably interesting to most..

I initially approached the DEFRA (Department for Envirnment Food and Rural Affairs) DWA department in Bristol, England who informed me that the matter was a devolved issue in Scotland and I would have to contact his opposite number in the Scotish Executive for info. I did and this was the reply...

'Under the terms of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, you must apply
to your *Local Authority *for a licence to keep an animal or animals
included in the schedule of the Act, and this does include Buthid
scorpions.' 

So, I contacted the local authority who called me back. I spoke to the gentleman who had been in charge of DWA licenses (and many other things I assume) for 50 years! To my amazment I was only the 2nd inquiry in that whole time!!! The other was a woman 40 years ago who wanted to keep racoons!

Clearly there any many, many people keeping buthids scorpions (and other DWA animals for that matter) but only one person has applied for and only one further person enquired about (ME!) a license, in Edinburgh at least, in 50 years! The gentleman acknowledged this and agreed when I suggested it was the price and the fact that no one was ever going to come and check. 

*Cost: * This varies depending on the city you are in and what the council decide basically but I can tell you that for the City of Edinburgh it is £168 per year. I was told that someone from the council and not a vet would inspect the conditions under which the animals would be kept.
You may be interested to know (obtained from the same list) that to get your license to cut hair, tattoo people and pirece body parts cost a whopping £6 a year. And get this, a license for a Zoo, yes, a ZOO works out cheaper than a DWA at £678 for 6 years (or £113 a year). Amazing.:wall: 

If anyway has specific questions...Im fairly clued up now so feel free to PM me for numbers and names etc...

NB. DWA does of course stand for Dangerous Wild Animal..whoops!


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## Charlie_Scorp (Dec 17, 2006)

I dont wish to flog a dead horse but Im suprised no one has a comment on this so here's a little bump..


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## dehaani (Dec 17, 2006)

Perhaps that particular person hadn't been contacted regarding DWA, instead, people contacted their local authority directly? I do know of a small number of people in Scotland with the license.

BTW, the zoo license only requires that you make your appicable animals available for public display no less than 7 days in each year.

Another consideration is that DWA licenses may require some liability insurance, zoo licenses definately require this. I'd assume public liability insurance for that purpose would be much more expensive than insurance for a personal collection.

DWA was first instated in 1976. I am not aware of the specific regulations before then.


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## Charlie_Scorp (Dec 17, 2006)

Billy, you're certainly right about the public liability insurance which would of course be less for an individual. I think you still get covered for a very large sum of moeny though. 
The person I spoke to is solely in charge of the licenses in Edinburgh, not the whole of Scotland. He does work for the local authority...sorry, maybe I wasn't clear about that. 
My point was basically that Im totally unsuprised that so many people keep buthids without a license when they are so expensive although by no means hard to get by the looks of things.


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