In 2018, a staggering number of reptiles was found in a man’s private apartment, almost half of which were later determined to be venomous:
RTL Today article: 252 reptiles seized in residential apartment, owner charged with animal cruelty (9 Dec. 2019)As a result, the man was charged with animal cruelty and the reptiles were subsequently brought to sanctuaries in Dudelange and in Munich.
Our colleagues from RTL.lu talked to Dr Félix Wildschutz, director of the Veterinary Service Administration, about the issue. He explained that although outrageous, this instance should be considered a rare and extreme case rather than a persistent problem. Nevertheless, Dr Wildschutz used the opportunity to remind people about the two existing lists for animals that can be legally owned as pets in the Grand Duchy.
List I is dedicated to domesticated mammals, which can be as small as hamsters or guinea pigs, or as large as cows and horses. List II then classifies all non-mammal species, including the following:
The only exception is for pets which have been owned since before the 2018 amendment, and now belong to the prohibited list. In these cases a pet can be kept until its death, provided that the owner provides a species-appropriate habitat for the animal.
Different type of pet: Meet Jeff Schreiner, who keeps reptiles, snakes and spiders
