Live Feeding Laws.

[darkdan99]

Firstly, this is not a debate, or discussion into the practices, nor is it for you to say how good, or bad you think it is.

Myself, and a few others have been making countless posts, telling people of the legalities of live feeding.

This is quoted from British Parlements resources site.

Currently under the 1911 Act it is not illegal to feed a live vertebrate to another unless you cause it unnecessary suffering, so that would have to be the result of a court case and the judge would have to make a decision.

Those of us who have been involved with reptiles will argue that a mouse that is being produced for food really has no cognizance of what is going on and exhibits no fear.

Whilst we absolutely do not want to encourage live feeding, we think we need some clarity as to whether that is going to be made illegal under this clause of fighting. Our concerns are, because of Clause 3(iv)(c), the need to be able to exhibit normal behavior patterns, that snakes in the wild feed on life prey, there are no carrion feeding snakes, so that would mean we are not going to be able to feed them frozen food; we are going to have to feed them live mice, and equally we would be opposed to having to introduce that.

this practice is currently legal so long as not practiced in a public place. There has always been confusion over the legality of this practice as no regulation directly relating to this has ever been decreed. Many millions of rodents are destroyed every year by break back traps and poison, compared to these methods the kill by a snake is swift and efficient

Basically, the laws as they are NO NOT ban live feeding, but experts and animal welfare groups DISCOURAGE it.

The new laws concerning animal welfare may IN THE FUTURE make it illegal, but there is an equal chance that they will make it ILLEGAL TO FEED F/T, or PREKILLED.

Because, under proposed versions, they will make it a legal requirement that natural behavior is exibited, and as said, this would mean live feeding only.

Another proposal outlaws it completely. This would mean alot of dead reptiles(boiga, and other species that will not take FT/prekilled.)

Basically, i cannot see either of these versions getting through, and i foresee the laws remaining the same.

The ambiguity probably arose from other laws, banning fighting such as cock fights, and bull fights etc.

some people claim that placing a live mouse with a snake for the purposes of a feeding is still deliberate intent to induce them to fight

BUT when it comes down to it, the practice is legal.

I CAN LEGALLY, IF I WANTED TO, PUT A PUPPY WITH A BURMESE PYTHON, THE SAME AS I CAN A MOUSE AND A ROYAL, OR A RABBIT AND A BOA.
It is my choice as to whether or not i do this, and i personally choose not to.

All quotations can be found on:
UK Parliament - Publications

(Disclaimer; i do not condone live feeding, under normal circumstance, or where there is a alternative, but in some cases it is necessary, and no matter what our opinions, it is ultimatly LEGAL)

Regards
Dan

[wohic]

Thank you for a very informitive post Dan, i get tired of the 'its illegal' brigade......... think your link may well be used a fare bit !

[BADGERS MUM]

very interesting,should solve alot of arguements,i think ppl get confused with whats morally wrong and whats illegal,im not against live feeding if its a means to an end so be it but i think if it came into effect that only live feeding was legal(mad law)there would be a drop in snake owners and most would continue to feed dead so thats just stupid,some ppl have reps as status symbols so no matter what the law says they will feed live and make a show of it too,the law is of no concern to them,we all do things differently i guess....great post anyway

[Sam&Si]

putting a puppy in for a burm........thats upsetting to me.
I know its nature and snakes got to eat, but personally i couldnt feed live, and a puppy would be well out the question.
A lot of people say to me you got to give them a live mouse/rat. guess its an individual thing, but for me...... i could not do it.

Sam

[HoldenBurn1000]

I dont think he was being serious wouth the puppy remark :P

And great post. I hope everyone reads it. Well done

[Issa]

Interesting Post. I may be refering others to this..........

[Kellybee]

The way I understand it, if you are feeding a vertebrate that isnt suffering as a result of feeding it to something else, then there is no issue present, other than a moral one depending on individual beleif of course, and despite this, only if you are beleived to be causing suffering, could you be brought into a court room and prosecuted for it.

Thankfully most folk see live feeding as unnecessary, and as such animals are, for the most part humanely killed. I think the Youtube live feeding (yes, goats, rabbits, anoles, mice, piglets), and such is primarily outside the UK, certainly I have never seen one of those films that features a british accent.

Anyway, we can't speak for the rest of the world, and there is always a minority that is the exception to the rule, but I beleive that whether this law is displayed to all (like Dan has rightly posted here for example), people here are likely to leave their egos in their pants and continue to feed defrosts rather than live, based on the morals that are set by British heritage. Something to be proud of, and a really interesting subject, thanks Dan.

EDIT: PS I was always under the impression it was not legal to live feed vertebrates, so this has been really enlightening for me, I cringe at the thought of live feeding, but at least someone has the brains to enlighten me as to how or why it might be considered right or wrong. Funny though, how the RSPCA condone reptile keeping, yet havent (from what I can find on the net), taken any action to overturn this law and have vertebrate feeding banned. Interesting.

[captaincaveman]

yeah thats what i'd read to, im along the same lines as you, i know its legal to do but choose not to

[King Of Dreams]

interesting stuff.

[Athravan]

I only wish that the section of this law which states not in a public place would apply worldwide, and would apply to the uploading of videos on the internet, which as most of us know has recently hugely increased due to yootube and other similar sites not taking action against videos of live feeding - which are in some cases clearly not functional feeding episodes but videod purely for pleasure & entertainment purposes and to be distributed.

I would think that even in the USA where cock fighting, dog fighting etc. is illegal in most states, that they would crack down on live feeding for general public entertainment purposes... I can only hope for the future, if the governments crack down on it then yootube would crack down on it. If you're feeding your snake fine, if you're making a sport of it - it shouldn't be legal.