This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act.
1) I would like to be provided with the most recent zoo inspection reports for every zoo in your local authority area.
By zoo, I refer to the definition made under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, which describes a zoo as ‘an establishment where wild animals are kept for exhibition to the public otherwise than for purposes of a circus and otherwise than in a pet shop; any zoo to which members of the public have access, with or without charge for admission, on more than seven days in any period of 12 consecutive months.
2) I would also like to be provided with the accompanying stocklists and mortality lists for each zoo in your local authority area, accompanied by relevant post-mortem results where these are provided.
3) I would lastly like to be provided with any complaints made to the local authority regarding each zoo – specifically focussing on the welfare of animals and the general management of each zoo. Complaints may have been made by concerned members of the public, other businesses or zoo staff. I am concerned with the time period January 2014 to the most recent on file. If you deem any of the above information is liable to be withheld for Data Protection reasons, I am happy for any names (of complainants, for example) to be redacted.
If no zoo as specified under the definition exists in your local authority area, and you have at no point been required to authorise a zoo inspection, please state so in any response.
If it is not possible to provide all the information requested due to the request exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in Section 12, please answer as many of the questions as is possible within the time limits, or advise me as to how this request can be broken down to comply.
In the Devon and Somerset area the Zoo Licensing Act is a function of the District, City or Unitary Councils, and therefore we do not hold information relating to licences, do not conduct inspections under that legislation, or monitor complaints relating to it.
We would therefore recommend that you contact the District, City or Unitary councils for further information. Contact details are available from our website at: https://www.devon.gov.uk/neighbouring-authorities/