NI: State papers show MP’s plea for animal control legislation in 1980s
An MP appealed to the UK government to extend the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 to Northern Ireland in the 1980s after learning a constituent owned big cats.
Newly released state papers show that John Taylor, UUP MP for Strangford, had pressed for Northern Ireland laws on dangerous wild animals to be brought in line with Britain.
His advocacy led to top UK civil servants discussing the number of wild and dangerous animals being kept in Northern Ireland.
Mr Taylor had received a number of complaints from constituents about a household in Ballyhalbert that allegedly owned tigers, a puma and panthers - without breaking any laws.
Licensing for dangerous wild animals was not introduced until the Dangerous Wild Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 2004.
In 2015, it was revealed that 39 regulated animals, including two tigers, were being held in Northern Ireland by 11 licensed keepers.