The Zoos Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Grant or refusal of licence N.I.

6.—(1)  In considering an application for a licence the Department shall take into account any representations made by or on behalf of any of the following persons concerning the implementation of the conservation measures referred to in regulation 3(7) at the zoo:

(a) the applicant;

(b) the district council for the area within which the whole or any part of the zoo is situated;

(c) the governing body of any institution concerned with the operation of zoos;

(d) any other person whose representations might, in the opinion of the Department, show grounds on which the Department may refuse to grant a licence.

(2) Before granting or refusing to grant a licence for a zoo, the Department shall –

(a) consult the applicant about the conditions it proposes would be attached to the licence under regulation 7(2), if one were granted;

(b) make arrangements for an inspection to be carried out by a person appointed by the Department under the provisions of regulation 11 to consider whether the conditions proposed by the Department under regulation 7(2) are likely to be met if the licence is granted; and

(c) consider the report made to it by the inspector pursuant to that inspection.

(3) The Department shall not grant a licence for a zoo unless it is satisfied that the conservation measures referred to in regulation 3(7) will be implemented in a satisfactory manner at the zoo.

(4) The Department may refuse to grant a licence if –

(a) the applicant, or

(b) where the applicant is a body corporate, the body or any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body, or

(c) a person employed as a keeper in the zoo,

has been convicted of an offence under these Regulations or under any of the enactments mentioned in paragraph (5) or of any other offence involving the ill-treatment of animals.

(5) The enactments are –

(a) the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland)1972(1);

(b) the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985(2);

(c) the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976(3).

(6) Where an application for a licence is refused the Department shall send to the applicant by post a written statement of the grounds for the refusal.

(7) When a licence is granted the Department shall send it to the applicant by post and the licence or a copy of it shall be displayed by the holder of the licence at each public entrance to the zoo.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 6 in operation at 31.3.2003, see reg. 1

(1)

1972 c. 7. (N.I.).

(2)

S.I. 1985/171 (N.I. 2).

(3)

1976 c. 72.