AN animal park in north Ceredigion has three months to bring in “experienced and qualified” management or a hearing to stop them keeping dangerous animals will be rescheduled.

An appeal to the restriction on Borth Wild Animal Kingdom’s licence was due to hold a case management hearing on Thursday, 26 April, but it has been adjourned for at least one month to “allow all parties to come to an agreement”.

Councillors at the healthier communities overview and scrutiny committee were told that an inspection had been carried out at the troubled animal park earlier this month with vets, a zoo operator, local authority and health and safety officers.

Ceredigion County Council’s consumer services manager David Lloyd Roberts told the meeting that concerns remained “as to the ability to manage the site effectively” as well as the welfare of the animals and conservation measures.

The inspection team felt it was necessary for the park owners to find someone with “suitable experience, qualifications and ability to manage the zoo".

“You can’t find such a person overnight but it was agreed if they were to employ a consultant in the interim for a short period, for at least three days a week, the standard of husbandry at the zoo should improve considerable," added Mr Roberts.

“If they fail to employ somebody with three months we will consider taking much stronger action.”

A restriction banning the zoo from keeping category one animals such as leopards, lions, lynx and snakes over a certain length was due to be appealed by the owners.

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