It may not be a good idea to keep a poisonous cobra as a pet, but it is not prohibited in the Netherlands. In theory, you can keep almost any animal at home, from a crocodile to a camel. There is not yet a law that prohibits people from keeping certain animal species as pets and that disrupts animal protection. They advocate that a list of prohibited animals be drawn up quickly, and this includes the green mamba.
The green mamba in Tilburg has still not been found. So there is still the danger that the poisonous snake will bite someone. The poison can take effect within fifteen minutes and can even be fatal after half an hour. The question is whether keeping such a poisonous snake is responsible.
Animal protection also asks that question out loud. “It’s actually bizarre that someone has such an animal in their home. But in the Netherlands this is allowed. Why? We still wonder about that,” says Niels Kalkman.
“You can even have a six-metre crocodile as a pet.”
There are no national rules for keeping animals. Only protected animal species are not allowed. Furthermore, you can’t imagine whether it is allowed as a pet. “No one stops you from purchasing a camel or water buffalo. Even a six meter long crocodile would be allowed.”
This will change for mammals in 2024. From July 1, there is a list of mammals that may not be kept as pets. For reptiles, such a list seems far away. “We are lobbying hard for it, but the (new) government currently seems to have bigger problems in their eyes,” says Kalkman.
“It could take years before there is a reptile law.”
If the green mamba is found, it ‘simply’ returns to its owner. Kalkman is disappointed about this and hopes that the mayor will intervene. “The only one who might be able to exert influence is the mayor. This could amend the general local regulation (APV). But there is no law against allowing the animal to return to its owner.”
Another possibility is that the owner gives up the poisonous snake himself. That also happened nine years ago in Made when a cobra escaped there. It is still unclear whether this owner will do the same.
For the time being, he has the right to keep the snake, because it will take some time before a list of prohibited reptiles is available. “First, every animal must be examined scientifically. That could take years,” Kalkman concludes with disappointment.
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