Hotel reptile market plan in animal rights row
The event will involve the sale of animals including lizards (above in a stock image), the organisers say
- Published
A row has broken out over plans to host a reptile market at a Blackpool hotel this summer.
The event at the Norbreck Castle will see people "buy and sell their surplus animals and offspring", according to the International Herpetological Society (IHS).
But some animal charities have condemned the market as a "gross violation" of reptile welfare and have urged Britannia Hotels to cancel it.
Blackpool Council said its officers would be at the event to make sure it complied with standards, while the IHS said its markets were "fully compliant with UK law".
The IHS, which was founded in 1969, said it was "committed to the ongoing research and propagation of all reptile, amphibian and chelonian species".
It added "animal care is paramount" at its events and creatures were "transported and displayed in temporary containers for the animals' safety during the event only".
The society added that two veterinary professionals were "always present and any concerns are taken extremely seriously".
Plans for a similar market in Doncaster in 2022 were halted by the town's council after complaints from some animal charities.
Event controversy
Elaine Toland, director of the Animal Protection Agency, said it "strongly urges Britannia Hotels to cancel this event and refuse to be complicit".
Laura Walton, campaigns manager at Freedom for Animals, added it "sincerely hoped" the hotel chose not to let the event go ahead.
Charlotte Regan, wildlife campaigns manager at World Animal Protection, said the animals were "not products to be bought and sold at makeshift stalls".
"These kinds of events are outdated and have no place in modern society."
The IHS said it found it "deeply upsetting to be constantly under fire" and none of its previous events had been "cancelled, refused or changed venues due to welfare issues or legal contravention by the IHS".
It said the events had instead been called off because of "adverse publicity".
Britannia Hotels has been approached for comment.
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