S.L. 439.19 ст. 4Application for registration as a keeper.

(1) A dangerous animal shall not be brought into a site before the required written approval is given by the Director in terms of this regulation.

(2) Any person who intends to be a keeper of a dangerous animal shall apply to the Director for registration as a keeper through submission of the form established in Schedule A: Provided that dangerous animals shall be neutered within six th months with effect from 17 February 2025 unless an exemption is obtained from the Director in accordance with the guidelines published in the Government Gazette and on the website of the Department.

(3) Any person who, at the coming into force of these regulations, is already in possession of a dangerous animal shall apply to the Director through submission of the form established in Schedule A within ninety days from the coming into force of these regulations: th Provided that a further ninety days with effect from 17 February 2025 shall be granted to any person who has not yet complied with the requirements stipulated in these regulations.

(4) Applicants shall submit to the Director all the details required in Schedule A including:

(a) non-reversible means of identification of the dangerous animal proposed for keeping;

(b) proof of the appropriateness of the site and enclosure proposed for the keeping of the dangerous animal;

(c) the measures to be taken by the applicant to secure the safety and well-being of the dangerous animal and the general public;

(d) any other proof or document as the Director may from time to time require.

(5) The non-reversible means of identification shall be in the form of a tattoo, intra-capsular device that complies with iso-standard 11784 or Annex A iso-standard 11785 or a DNA profile depending on which method is best suited to the dangerous animal or any other means that the Director may deem appropriate.

(6) Upon submission of the application form prescribed in Schedule A, the applicant shall pay a fee of ten euro (€10) for each dangerous animal to be registered.

(7) The Director shall, within eight weeks from the application, decide whether the applicant fulfils the requirements set out in these regulations.

(8) The Director may refuse any application for any reason he deems valid in the interest of the dangerous animal’s own safety and well-being as well as the safety of the general public.

(9) No person shall deliberately release or attempt to release a dangerous animal falling within the ambit of these regulations into the environment or otherwise dispose of any such dangerous animal in his possession.

(10) The Director may only uphold an application for the keeping of a dangerous animal where he is satisfied that the applicant is sufficiently knowledgeable as to the basic care, handling, welfare and safety requirements relative to the particular dangerous animal and is able to fulfil the requirements of these regulations and any other applicable laws or regulations as well as any conditions which may be imposed upon him.

(11) Upon upholding an application for registration as a keeper of a dangerous animal the Director may impose any conditions he deem fit on the authorized keeper with regards to the same animal and any other relevant matters.

(12) Any offspring of any dangerous animal kept by a keeper in terms of these regulations shall be notified to the Director within one week from birth through written communication sent by registered mail or email with receipt of delivery.

(13) The offspring have to be registered according to these regulations within four weeks of birth.

(14) For every offspring registered according to sub-regulation (13), a registration fee has to be paid in accordance with the list prescribed by the Minister referred to in regulation 3(3).