But legality doesn’t matter; captive-bred or wild caught – it’s all cruel. They require special … Tiger King seems to take place in a reality far, far away. We know that social media is a largely unregulated marketplace. The journey for an animal in the global exotic pet trade is cruel – … Animals are being taken from the wild in great numbers. The exotic pet trade also damages food chains and ecosystems. Domesticated species include dogs, cats, and farm animals like horses, pigs and chickens. Shockingly, as many as up to 66% of poached African grey parrots die before starting their life as a pet. We encourage you to continue to give your pet the best life possible, for as long as you can. There are legal and illegal sides to the exotic pet trade. "Most People Cannot Care for Exotic Pets" There are different animals in captivity, and some … Together we are moving the world to protect animals. A lion killed several dogs and trapped a child in his room, and a Bengal tiger tore off the arm of a 4-year-old boy. The exotic pet industry is a pernicious force incompatible with good ecological, animal welfare and public health practices. The “trade in exotic animals is a $15 billion industry.” People make a high profit by raising and selling exotic and sometimes even endangered animals. The effects of the exotic pet trade Rampant poaching for the exotic pet trade is devastating animal populations worldwide. It is a topic of great interest to anthrozoologists, conservation psychologists, conservation biologists, and to many others interested in animal protection, and a number of people have asked me to write more on this … Photo by CC0 Creative Commons. As non-domesticated animals, exotic pets retain many of their wild instincts, even when born into captivity. The journey for an animal in the exotic pet trade is cruel – and often deadly. By allowing the trade legally, they have opened the door to unregulated illegal trade in wildlife. Sadly, the truth is any wild animal that finds itself caught in the exotic pet trade experiences suffering.Â. Receive updates with our latest news, petitions, appeals and campaigns successes. Money. The few exotic pets that are threatened by the pet trade in modern times are collected and sold in their own country, or countries that are not the U.S. We were known as WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) Depending on the species, exotic pet ownership can entail a great many risks. The exotic pet trade is an international enterprise that is responsible for unimaginable, inexcusable,and unforgivable pain, suffering and death. When kept captive, this species can have very destructive behaviours. There’s a dark side to Canada’s pet laws. It’s very important that whatever happens, you don’t release your pet into the wild under any circumstance. A life in captivity limits the natural behaviour of an animal and places both their mental and physical wellbeing at risk. The exotic pet trade is an international enterprise that is responsible for despicable, unimaginable, and unforgivable pain, suffering and death. The glamorization of exotic pets through pop culture and social media masks cruelty, and falsely legitimises the trade. We believe that wild animals belong in the wild, not as pets. Keeping a wild animal as a pet can be demanding. Snakes, parrots, iguanas, tortoises, and even otters – these are just some of the species suffering as pets around the world. In one incident, a tiger mauled his guardian’s 3-year-old grandson. For example, African grey parrots can fly up to 10km a day to forage and interact with large social networks of other birds. Due to the stress caused from the lack of these conditions, parrots often rip out their own feathers – a behaviour similar to self-harming in humans. Either poached from the wild or bred in captivity on a farm, exotic pets are often shipped huge distances before reaching their final destination. It hides in plain sight rooted behind the sanitized façade of pet stores and the front doors of private homes, quietly facilitated by trade-permissive legislation. The widespread use of the internet has made it easier than ever to order or purchase a wild animal without clarification about where it has come from or how it should be cared for. Exotic pets are wild. Animals bring joy to our lives, so why wouldn't we want them to be a part of our lives every day at home? The reality is that a life in captivity is a world away from a life in the wild. Photo credit: SOS Fauna. Here are a few reasons to end the exotic pet trade. Wildlife trade is increasing the risks to human and animal health, compromising animal welfare, and placing biodiversity under immense and unsustainable pressure. Most of those that are affected are declining due to habitat destruction. Big business is failing farm animals: Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks and many more. The exotic pet trade is the trade of live animals that have not been domesticated and are typically native to developing countries. Overstated Concerns for Public Safety. When humans are in close proximity to wild animals, it increases the chance for viral pathogens to jump from a wild animal species to humans. African grey parrots are the most popular wild bird kept as a pet in Europe, USA and the Middle East. They often lack adequate shelter, food, room to roam, and environment control to, for example, keep their body at the temperature it needs to be. Receive updates with our latest news, petitions, appeals and campaigns successes. Our research shows that the ‘cute’ videos prospective purchasers see shared across social media influences their decision to buy a wild animal: at least 15% of surveyed exotic pet owners found inspiration for their purchase via YouTube videos . It is a … It is believed that the virus began at a wet market where wild animals were kept and sold on site. More than 27,000 animals, including over 730 hedgehogs, have been seized from exotic pet dealer in Arlington, Texas. The exotic pet trade also poses a risk to native wildlife populations through the introduction of foreign diseases, like chytrid fungus which has decimated frog populations around the world, or by escaped or released exotic animals establishing themselves in the wild, as red-eared sliders have done throughout the world. Captivity limits the natural behaviour of an animal and places both their mental and physical wellbeing at risk. Reptiles often have highly specific dietary and environmental needs. If you already own an exotic animal, it’s important to seek expert advice from a veterinarian who specialises in the care of your animal to ensure you’re meeting as many of its welfare needs as possible. They often lack adequate shelter, food, room to roam, and environment control to, for example, keep their body at the temperature it needs to be. Where it all started It’s very important that whatever happens, What every Tiger King fan should know about Canada’s own Joe Exotics, G20: Ending the wildlife trade must be your top priority this weekend. Tel: 416 369 0044 Email: info@worldanimalprotection.ca. They do not adjust well to a captive environment. To fuel the growing market for exotic pets, thousands of animals are taken from the wild and bred in captivity every day, and these animals suffer at every stage of the supply trade. In the wake of our recent program Super Cats: A NATURE Miniseries, we wanted to address concerns about the exotic pet trade. Read on to find out why you shouldn't buy an exotic pet. In an age of the rising influence of various animal rights movements, the ever-growing trade in exotic pets is an obvious culprit, and regularly finds itself under the microscope. Let’s end the wildlife trade together. The illegal wildlife trade is the world’s 4th most lucrative crime, after the trafficking of drugs, humans and arms. An essential step... Sign up to our mailing list and connect with us on social media. Millions of animals are forced into the exotic pet trade every year for the purpose of becomin… African Gray Parrots are often poached from the wild. Otters and the Exotic Pet Trade This in-depth documentary and photo story looks at a trade that is pushing otters towards extinction. The 2018 Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) report reveals that many of the world’s biggest food and restaurant brands are ignoring animal... Sign up to our mailing list and connect with us on social media. However, they have complex needs and behaviours that can only be met in their natural habitat, and most owners aren't aware of the suffering they experience. Why? So, why after all these attacks and cases of animal cruelty does this exotic pet trend continue? Make sure you thoroughly investigate it and find out if the rescue centre is managed responsibly and in a transparent manner. We know that most people buy exotic pets because they love animals. Since 2016, Grey Parrots have been now protected from international trade but are still threatened by the illegal wildlife trade. One way to find out is to compare the list of traded species with a list of species in trouble. Many wild animals are beautiful and surprisingly intelligent - qualities that can make them attractive pets to animal lovers. The journey for an animal in the global exotic pet trade is cruel – and often deadly. But their life as pets is one of suffering. Canadian Charitable Registration #12971 9076 RR0001. Image: Asian Otters, an increasingly popular exotic pet in Japan and Thailand. Tel: 416 369 0044 Email: info@worldanimalprotection.ca. Because smugglers will keep on going back to the animals to make more money. Image: Roy the rescue African grey parrot. 7 January 2010 3 May 2017 Hugh Warwick 8 Comments. The keeping of wild animals as pets is a growing concern. Many of these animals are not native to our ecosystems and will become invasive, resulting in a disruption in the biodiversity, and most likely the death of many other animals. Recent investigations have reported over 55,000 Indian Star tortoises were removed in the space of a single year from just one of the many trade hubs in India. But very few people who do so have a good idea what they are letting themselves in for. Monkeys, zebras, lions, tigers, chimpanzees, bears, and giraffes are all common victims of the exotic pet trade. Image: birds confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade in Brazil. 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