The law on keeping dangerous snakes as pets should be tightened up, animal welfare experts demand.

The call follows an investigation by the journal, showing that several species of venomous and potentially lethal snakes, such as cobras, vipers, and rattlesnakes, can easily be bought through pet shops in England, but that the licensing arrangements for ownership are somewhat lax.

What’s more, these reptiles are difficult for owners to manage properly at home, and few vets are sufficiently insured or have the relevant expertise to treat them, the investigation reveals.

Under the Dangerous Wild Animals (DWA) Act, it’s perfectly legal to sell venomous snakes to people who don’t have a licence to keep them: the legal onus is, instead, on the purchaser to have obtained a DWA licence from their local authority.

And animal welfare charity, the RSPCA, says that DWA licences may sometimes be issued retrospectively by councils, so enabling reptile collectors to obtain venomous snakes before they become licenced.

President of the British Veterinary Zoological Society (BVZS), Peter Kettlewell, points out that there aren’t any legal controls when venomous snakes are purchased in EU countries and brought into the UK either.

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