Review licensing affecting captive bred bird exhibitions

856
signatures
closedDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsOpened 23 February 2026Closed 23 August 2026

Background

DEFRA has made it nigh on impossible to hold a sale and or exhibition of captive bred birds. We see no evidential reasoning or public consultation so I would like parliament to debate the reasoning behind this decision.

Additional details

We believe the restrictions put in place do more harm than good with regards to the general hobby of bird keeping/showing, affecting not only the keeper but also all the seed sellers who often have stalls at the exhibitions and help the economy. Also we believe there is no evidence that canary’s/finches etc can contract or carry the Bird Flu, while most show birds are anyway kept indoors in bedrooms or covered aviaries with contact with wild birds impossible.

Where it’s popular

Constituencies with the most signatures on this petition.

Source: UK Government & Parliament Petitions service. Petition ID: 758238.