Wild Animals as Pets

Life in captivity is extremely different to life in the wild. The needs of many species kept as exotic pets aren’t well understood by science, let alone traders and keepers. As a consequence, it is really difficult to ensure these animals are adequately provided for. We fear that many exotic pets are commonly deprived of even their basic welfare requirements, including a suitable environment, suitable diet, the ability to exhibit normal behaviours, their social needs which are often complex, and freedom from pain, injury and disease. Not only that, keeping wild animals in captivity causes undue stress and frustration that often turns into Zoochosis.

Many exotic pets become unwanted or too challenging for their owners and may be simply abandoned or released, while others may escape. Space in genuine rescue centres and sanctuaries for exotic pets is extremely scarce.

The exotic pet trade has been described as ‘an important and increasing driver of biodiversity loss.’ We’re in the midst of an extinction crisis with a million or more species threatened with extinction because of human activities, and trade in wild animals, including exotic pets, is part of the problem. The collection of live animals for the exotic pet trade disrupts ecosystems and has led to serious, and in some cases catastrophic, population and species declines. Rare species are especially targeted as they tend to attract higher prices. Whilst some animals are bred in captivity to supply demand, many animals are captured from the wild. Not only is this practice extremely inhumane, but it’s also incredibly dangerous for the animals and humans that are involved. The demand for wild animals as pets fuels both the legal and illegal wildlife trade.

Nonindigenous, ‘invasive’ species are considered to be a major cause of global biodiversity loss, often impacting the local environment and causing a threat to native species. In some cases, exotic pets released into the wild have established free-living populations that cause havoc among native wildlife.

Many species kept as exotic pets are potentially dangerous. They retain their natural instincts and may be unpredictable, while inflicting serious injury or transmitting harmful diseases. There have been numerous incidences of exotic pet attacks around the world, resulting in serious human injury or death.

© George Logan

Legal restrictions on the trade and keeping of exotic pets vary significantly by country. Some countries have regional or national legislation governing the trade and keeping of wild animals as pets, while others have little or no specific legislation.

Some countries, or regions/states within a country, have regulations on the keeping of some or all wild species as pets. In Great Britain, certain species considered to pose a risk to the public require a licence to be privately kept under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. However, legal protections for animals and people vary greatly around the world and may be absent or extremely weak.

Similarly, many of the species currently traded internationally for the exotic pet trade are not protected by conventions such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.