Zoo Licence

Zoo Licensing Act 1981(as amended)
Winchester City Council is responsible for licensing zoological parks within the district, namely Marwell Zoo, and zoo operators have to comply with the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. These standards cover animal welfare, environmental issues, conservation, education and research.

Sites are audited by a team that includes a specialist veterinary surgeon and a zoological park manager both of whom are appointed by the Global Wildlife Section at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. These inspectors are appointed for their knowledge of the animals within the zoological collection and their experience in managing zoological parks of comparable size. Full inspections are carried out every three years and the administrative costs of inspection and the issuing of the licence is charged to the zoo operator.

Setting up a Zoo
The licensing of zoos is a specialist field and the regulations are complex. Details on the legislation and the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice can be found on the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website under the Wildlife and Countryside homepage.

If you are thinking of setting up a zoo, it is recommended that you contact a specialist officer first for advice and guidance on the details above. The local authority cannot consider an application unless at least two months notice of the application has been given, plus publication of details in a local and national newspaper, and a notice placed at the site.

The authority must consult the police, fire authority, governing body of any national institute concerned with zoos, the adjoining authority if the zoo overlaps the area of that authority, and any person wishing to object on grounds of alleged injurious effect on the health or safety of persons living in the area.

The authority must arrange an inspection by a consultant inspector from the list of suitable inspectors nominated by the Secretary of State.

To apply on-line for a Notice of Intention to Apply for a Zoo Licence please refer to the link below

Fees

Actual cost of inspection