Can zoo licensing be improved?

ZOO licensing may be something of a curate's egg, and frankly I would challenge even that. To suggest (VR, May 27, 2017, vol 180, p 510) that it is not fit for purpose is simply fallacious; the fact that there are many welfare cases prosecuted by Defra or the RSPCA in a year does not demonstrate how ineffective they are at improving welfare. Defra and the APHA appoint two lists of inspectors – a list of appropriately experienced veterinary surgeons, and a list of experienced biologists and curators. This produces a broad inspectorate with a wide range of skills which can be matched to zoos. Where there is no controversy, distance travelled is a factor, and inspectors are chosen who are within reach. No individual zoo inspector has all of the experience needed to cover the charismatic mega-vertebrates, down to rabbits and children's zoo occupants, stick insects...
Source: Veterinary Record - Category: Veterinary Research Tags: Letters and Notices Source Type: research