Dangerous Animal Scares –

Scotland Likes Ferocious Beasties

I like a good animal scare story and after I’ve written recently about the huge number of posties getting bitten I can say it could be worse. It sees that there are just about 500 dangerous animals being kept as pets in Scotland. We know because they have to be registered. A recent survey shows that 4,798 dangerous wild animals are being privately kept in Britain.  The report also says that many of these deadly creatures are being kept in inadequate environments unsuitable for the animal needs or human safety.

Crocodiles and a Zebra!

Each of Scotland’s local councils  were asked which dangerous wild animals are currently licenced to be kept in private hands and the answer was shocking in Scotland, but horrifying in England. Of course not every Scottish local authorities replied but those that did revealed 496 dangerous wild animals  in private hands including more than 21 big cats, miaow and ow,  including servals and caracals plus 14 crocodiles! By jings you wouldn’t want a midnight swim with that lot. There were venomous snakes including the western diamondback rattlesnake, death adders and gaboon vipers. And just for good measure some happy soul is keeping a zebra. Jings!  Zebra are known to be cantankerous. But as I say it is far worse south of the Border where police in Essex found an illegally-kept 4ft caiman crocodile and 16 snakes at a house in Essex.

Animal Lovers!

But we are nations of animal lovers in 2017 it was estimated that 12m (44% of) households have pets and the pet population stands at around 54 million beasts. That’s almost one each!

2016-2017 Rolling Total 

Pet population (m)

% households with a pet

Any pet

54

44%

Indoor fish

15-20

8%

Outdoor fish

15-20

5%

Dogs

8.5

24%

Cats

8.0

17%

Rabbits

0.9

2%

Indoor Birds

0.7

0%

Reptiles

0.7

1.5%

Domestic Fowl

0.6

1%

Guinea Pigs

0.5

2%

Hamsters

0.3

1%

 The Postie Knocks Twice

But here at James Pirie we don’t keep any dangerous beasties and the postie is always safe, just as you will be when you browse our fines selection of giftware. You’ll have noticed perhaps how the website currently diverts you from the Home page to our whisky gifts section, a section we are immensely proud of. Not only does it celebrate the national drink but it provides our valued customers with great value and choice like the five star customer rated Royal Scot Crystal - Edinburgh - 2 Crystal Small Whisky Tumblers which currently luxuriates in a half price offer. Go on spoil someone dear with this gift. With the weather turned many a thought is for a dram as the nights get just a little darker.

https://www.jamespirie.com/whisky-gifts.html#page=1