Exotic Pets

ABOUT THE ISSUE

The import of exotic species for the pet trade threatens the survival of wild species, the welfare of the animals and the health of humans and other animals from the spread of disease. Some wild animals are captured under dire conditions and suffer high mortality rates throughout the trade cycle. The complex needs of exotic animals can be difficult to meet in captivity. When animals become too costly, difficult to manage, or lose their novelty, they are often abandoned and can threaten native wildlife and the ecosystem.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION

The regulation of the private keeping of wild animals is left to EU Member States. While all of them have some type of animal protection law, the level of protection, the animals covered and the rules related to the private keeping of exotic animals vary greatly. Two-thirds of EU countries have signed the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, which includes a 1995 resolution discouraging the keeping of wild animals as pets.
Some Member States have created lists of animals which may be kept (positive list) or may not be kept (negative list) by private individuals. Currently, only Belgium has a true positive list for mammals, while 17 countries have negative lists covering a few species (great apes) of a wider range of dangerous animals.

WHAT ARE WE CALLING FOR

• Member States to create lists of species allowed to be kept by private owners based on clear criteria, including animal welfare.
• Member States to improve education on the requirements for keeping species to discourage purchases and ensure the welfare of animals in captivity.
• Breeders and pet shops to provide detailed information on the animals they sell.
• Strict recordkeeping and permitting by Competent Authorities to improve monitoring of the exotic animal species currently kept by private individuals.