Large- scale reptile dealer issued with formal caution for illegal sale of snakes at reptile market

A formal caution was issued recently by Doncaster City Council to a snake dealer for illegally trading animals at a reptile market held at Doncaster Racecourse on 19 September 2021. 

Paul Milner of York-based Urban Constrictors, was one of several reptile sellers identified by the Animal Protection Agency for a coordinated investigation. 

Footage taken by World Animal Protection captured Paul Milner in the act of illegally offering snakes for sale at the event. The reptile market has now moved to Rotherham where campaigners claim that more illegal selling has recently occurred.

Under the Pet Animals Act 1951 it is an offence to ‘carry on a business’ of selling pet animals over market stalls. However, sellers at reptile markets pose as private individuals selling a few of their own surplus pets, claiming they aren't undertaking a business and are therefore not breaking the law. 

Amongst them was Paul Milner, a regular stallholder at the Doncaster Racecourse event, who openly boasted on his YouTube channel three years ago of a £100,000 target for his snake breeding business, Urban Constrictors. 

Conditions for reptiles at these events are often inhumane. Snakes, lizards, tortoises and turtles are typically displayed and sold in small, plastic, takeaway-style boxes in which they can barely turn or move around. Little or no consideration is given to the basic welfare requirements of reptiles, including their need for finely controlled temperature, humidity and light levels. Scientists have described the treatment of animals at reptile markets as ‘tantamount to animal abuse’.

Campaigners are calling on the national government to do more to prevent reptile markets, at which they say criminal activity is rife. The Animal Protection Agency claim they have secured evidence, yet again, of widespread law-breaking at a large reptile market that took place at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham on 17 September 2023.

Says Doncaster Councillor Dave Shaw: “I'm immensely grateful to the legal team at Doncaster City Council for pursuing the case and securing this outcome. The clear purpose of the law is to prevent animal suffering, but local councils are having to grapple with Defra-issued guidance that is overly complex and confusing, and often allows animal suffering to continue. The government needs to give local council inspectors better tools to prevent this type of illegal animal selling.”

Says Elaine Toland, Animal Protection Agency: “To any right-minded person, trading sensitive wild animals in tiny plastic tubs is deplorable at the best of times, let alone in bustling markets where the animals are subjected to even more stress. 

"This case sends a message that anyone trading reptiles at these markets does so at risk of prosecution. We need more local councils to take legal action against such sellers, and venues to refuse to accommodate the events.”

Says Peter Kemple-Hardy, World Animal Protection: “We're obviously very are pleased that Doncaster City Council examined our evidence, conducted their own investigations and came to the conclusion that the law had been broken. 

"But this is by no means an isolated case. Illegal selling of animals at reptile markets is widespread, blatant and unchecked, and animals are suffering in their thousands. I'm convinced without commercial sales of animals, these events simply just would not exist.”

Animal protection groups are concerned that Paul Milner of Urban Constrictors, who has admitted to trading animals unlawfully, is offering business help and advice, via paid subscriptions. Despite breaching animal welfare legislation, Milner is offering to help snake breeders ‘level up’ and turn their snake breeding and selling ‘hobby’ into a full-time business.

Animal Protection Agency Foundation http://www.apa.org.uk

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Scaling-up demand reduction for illegally traded exotic pets and wildlife products in Europe

Wild species imported illegally for use and as pets is an issue that needs addressing within EU borders.

TRAFFIC highlights the crucial role of behavioural science in bolstering demand reduction strategies in alignment with the objectives of the revised EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking.

The conference, jointly organised by the European Commission, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), discussed the enforcement challenges and opportunities of the EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking, scaling up efforts to combat wild species trafficking across European borders.

One important segment of the conference shone a spotlight on implementing behavioural science approaches to curb the demand for illegally traded exotic pets and wildlife products. 2021 EU CITES-related seizure data revealed consistently high illegal trade for plant-derived ingredients used in aromatics and medicines, as well as live reptiles and birds destined for the pet trade.

“Wild species imported illegally for use and as pets is an issue that needs addressing within EU borders. Behaviour change initiatives can play a pivotal role both in terms of curbing illegal trade, and promoting sustainable, safe and legal trade, complementing EU commitments to the Convention of Biological Diversity’s Framework’s goal to reduce biodiversity loss by 2030,” says Melanie Heath, Senior Director of Global Programme Office.

Sarah Baker Ferguson, TRAFFIC’s Nature Crimes Convergence Lead, discussed approaches to behavioural change, a cornerstone of TRAFFIC’s 2030 Strategy. The panel discussion session provided insight into TRAFFIC’s unique knowledge in addressing the primary objective of Priority 1 in the revised EU Action Plan: reducing consumer demand for illegally traded wildlife.

Prepared by TRAFFIC and unanimously adopted at the Conference of the CITES Parties in Panama, CITES Guidance on Demand Reduction outlines a Five-Step Framework for behavioural change and 10 Benchmarks for behavioural change and supports governments to implement legislation to combat illegal trade in CITES-listed species.

“As a key consumer, transit and source market, the EU must give particular attention to implementing this Guidance to support social and behaviour change, with a specific focus on European consumers,” says Sarah Baker Ferguson.

Effectively combatting wildlife trafficking also requires a multifaceted approach for success, which we summarise through two strategic tracks. First, TRAFFIC works to ensure that laws are appropriate, perceived as a sufficient deterrent, and effectively enforced, and second, TRAFFIC involves influential individuals who can shape consumer groups' attitudes and social norms as well as different target audiences.

Besides addressing consumer demand, behavioural science techniques can be applied along the entire wildlife trade chain and prove to be an effective tool in combatting corruption. By dedicating concerted efforts to investigating poachers, as exemplified in our successful 'The People Beyond the Poaching' project, vital intelligence can be acquired to counteract wildlife crimes at all levels.

Conferences such as these are crucial for refining behavioural change approaches, helping to reduce the demand for wild species, and ensuring that our planet's wild populations thrive in the years to come.

Next month in Singapore, through the first in a series of CITES regional training seminars about the CITES Demand Reduction Guidance, TRAFFIC will support CITES Parties' implementation of the Guidance by providing capacity building around it to governmental and organisation counterparts from across the Asian continent.

https://www.traffic.org