Hybrids of domestic animals
Bengal cats and the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976
The Act regulates the keeping of certain kinds of dangerous animals as pets. Licences are required for any animal which appears on a schedule to the Act.
The 'Bengal cat' is not a true species but rather a hybrid of the domestic cat crossed with the Asian leopard cat, several generations removed from the wild ancestor, and currently kept in their thousands in this country without serious problems arising. It was not specifically named on earlier versions of the Schedule to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act but it technically fell within the catch-all listing of all species of Felidae (i.e. the cat family) except Felis catus, the domestic cat. Its effective inclusion in the list of affected species partly arose as the Schedule pre-dated the breeding of these animals in this country. Other hybrids of Dangerous Wild Animal cat species with domestic cats also fell within the catch-all listing for Felidae.
Defra has been reviewing the Dangerous Wild Animals Act. In 2004 we published proposals to revise the legislation, including a proposal that the Act's Schedule be amended to make it explicit that Bengal cats do not require licensing. This was on the grounds that they are not considered to be sufficiently dangerous to warrant such regulation. We have refined the proposal slightly for Bengal cats, and similar cat hybrids descended from licensable cat species, as this required improved drafting to improve the clarity and enforceability of the proposal.
We have sought to clarify the position for domestic cat x wild cat hybrids generally within the revised Schedule (which came into force on 1 October 2007). Cat hybrids descended exclusively from excepted species (as shown on the Schedule), cat hybrids having a domestic cat as one parent and a first generation hybrid of a domestic cat and a non-excepted cat as the other parent, and cats which are descended exclusively from such excepted hybrids or from such excepted hybrids and a domestic cat, no longer require a licence.
Local authorities are responsible for licensing and enforcement under the Act. Many exercise their discretion in respect of Bengal cats (for example if the animals are many generations removed from the wild ancestor and are essentially indistinguishable from domestic animals) and regard them as domestic cats and therefore not in requirement of a licence under the Act. The revised Schedule now makes it much clearer as to what exceptions can now be made in respect of such hybrids.
If owners are still in doubt as to whether animals require licensing, then Defra advises them to contact their local authority for advice.
Wolf-dog hybrids and the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976
The Act regulates the keeping of certain kinds of dangerous animals as pets. Licences are required for any animal which appears on a schedule to the Act.
Wolf-dog hybrids are not a true species but rather a hybrid of the domestic dog crossed with the wolf. Such animals technically fall within the Act's catch-all listing of all species of Canidae (i.e. the dog family) with certain exceptions such as Canis familiaris, the domestic dog (but not the dingo, Canis familiaris dingo), raccoon dogs and foxes.
Defra's advice is that such animals are included in the Act's listing and therefore require licensing.
Local authorities are responsible for licensing and enforcement under the Act. If an animal is many generations removed from the wolf ancestor and is essentially indistinguishable from a domestic dog in appearance and behaviour then a local authority might conceivably choose to exercise discretion and regard it as a domestic dog.
If owners are in doubt as to whether animals require licensing, then Defra advises them to contact their local authority for advice.
The Department and the RSPCA have jointly funded research into the keeping of wolf-dog hybrids (published in 2000).
The contractors found that very few wolf-hybrids were kept and that advertisements for wolf-dogs were generally misleading and had been embellished to attract public interest and justify high prices. The report also outlines some physical characteristics to help identify true wolf-dog hybrids, which local authorities may find useful. The full research report is available at The Keeping of Wolf-Hybrids in Great Britain [PDF] (556 KB)
Dangerous dogs are regulated under their own legislation. Further information on dangerous dogs can be found on the animal welfare pages.
Page last modified: 23 October 2008
Page published: 23 October 2008