Pet owner fined for illegally keeping serval cats near Cromer
The big cats, native to North Africa, can run at approximately 50mph
Last updated 13th Jun 2022
A pet owner in Cromer has been fined after illegally keeping two big cats on land in Colby.
The Serval cats, which are native to North Africa, were being kept without a licence in an enclosure from which they could have escaped.
The owner, who hasn't been identified, has been taken to court by the council and will be forced to pay over £700 in fines and costs
Both cats have been rehomed to a zoo.
Servals are called as dangerous under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
In the wild they are capable of hunting wild antelope, running at around 50mph. They can jump up to 2m.
James Windsor, Environmental Health Officer at the Council, said:
“This was an extremely serious case for the Council. The discovery of two Serval being kept in the district in accommodation which was not built in such a way that would have prevented their escape and put the local community at significant risk.
“Effectively recapturing an escaped animal would have presented significant challenges.
“We are aware that there has been a general trend in the UK for people to privately keep Servals as they are used to breed Savannah cats which is a highly lucrative business.
“The Council will not hesitate to take robust action where dangerous wild animals are being kept without a licence and in a manner which endangers public safety.
“We are extremely grateful for the assistance of Norfolk Police’s Rural Crime Team in both the detection of this crime and in bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.”