Grave costs of tortoise paperwork operation

Grave costs of tortoise paperwork operation

Blackspots of heavy handed enforcement during the Operation Ramp tortoise paperwork check of autumn 2010 triggered resentment that has since widely tainted relations between the trade and enforcers.

Speaking at the annual Partners Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) conference on 1^st March in London, Pet Care Trade Association (PCTA) Chief Executive Janet Nunn explained how this had undermined respect for the law and needed addressing, starting with better communication between the regulators, trade bodies and traders.

“The PCTA wrote to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) at the end of 2010, expressing our concern on a number of counts, including their unilateral, ill-communicated changes to the certification procedures and received a ‘we don’t agree’ response,” said Ms Nunn. “Strict liability legislation has made for lazy, Teflon enforcement. There is no come back on the enforcers for poor communication of changes in paperwork, whereas the trade can be criminalised for any irregularity in their paperwork, even if the animals themselves are otherwise legally held and healthy.

“The average pet shop turns over a median £15.50 per customer and employs 12.4 staff with all the pressures and wide expertise that that entails. A more supportive, less adversarial approach by AHVLA enforcers is needed and we at the PCTA can help achieve that.

“One possibility worth exploring is whether local authorities, who must inspect and licence pet shops annually to allow retailers to sell pets, could make the CITES paperwork check part of their routine licensing process. It already features in the Pet Care Trust Quality Assurance Retail Standard which is independently inspected by UKAS accredited auditors SAI Global. In that way, any irregularities can be discussed promptly with the retailer and reported to AHVLA for them to follow up in a supportive way.”

Notes to editors:

• Operation Ramp involved contacts with 600 traders of whom 400 were visited and dozens cautioned for minor paperwork irregularities. A small handful were prosecuted, two successfully, with a further two expected to be tried this summer.

• UK Border Agency (UKBA) recovered £11.5K for HMRC coffers in dues. Operation Ramp is estimated by the trade to have cost £3.5m; HM Government has declined to calculate the cost themselves as it would involve too much work [See Hansard (Citation: HC Deb, 25 January 2012, c285W)]

• Other EU member states conducted investigations on importers and exporters under the Interpol-led Operation Ramp, the UK was the only country to target retailers

• The PCTA supports more than 1,500 pet care businesses such as pet shops, grooming salons, kennels and catteries, colleges, wholesalers, and manufacturers. It works on behalf of its members to help them further their careers by offering a range of nationally accredited qualifications and works to represent its members by informing policymakers and opinion formers in government and the civil service. Its charity, the Pet Care Trust promotes the benefits of pet ownership, provides animal care information, sets standards and other public facing activities. For more information, please visit: www.petcare.org.uk

Press enquiries:

Rosie Loft, Communications Manager
Email: rosie.loft@petcare.org.uk        Tel: 01234 273933

Alexandra Baker, Communications Manager

Email: alexandra.baker@petcare.org.uk       Tel: 01234 273933