| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to regulate the keeping of certain kinds of dangerous wild animals. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1976 c. 38 |
| Territorial extent | |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 22 July 1976 |
| Commencement | 22 October 1976 |
Status: Amended | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (c. 38) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was originally enacted to deal with the increasing fashion of people in the late-1960s and early-1970s keeping interesting pets which were often from the more dangerous species, as well as hybrids between wild and domestic species, such as wolfdogs and Bengal cats. It was increasingly seen as unacceptable—in regard to public safety—for the average citizen to be able to acquire a potentially dangerous animal without some form of regulatory control.
Its purpose was to ensure that when private individuals kept dangerous wild animals, they do so in circumstances which do not create a risk to the public, and which safeguard the welfare of the animals.
The act's schedule designates the species covered, such as many primates, carnivores, larger or venomous reptiles, dangerous spiders and scorpions. Keeping such animals without a licence is unlawful and the state is also allowed to specify where and how the animal is to be kept. This law also requires keepers to have their animals covered by a satisfactory liability insurance policy.