Help stop the illegal exotic pet trade

What's the issue?

Wildlife Trafficking

• The United States is one of the largest markets for wildlife trafficking in the world. According to some estimates, there are more tigers in human care in the United States than remain in the wild in Asia.

Social Media

• The illegal exotic pet trade has been on the rise due to venues like social media sites and other means of digital media distribution. Even movies can have unintended negative effects on species when consumers buy the featured animals as pets.

  • • Following the release of the film “Finding Nemo,” so many people wanted clownfish as pets that populations in human care could not meet the demand. As a result, wild populations were decimated. Leading up to the release of the sequel, “Finding Dory,” Disney and other conservation organizations participated in a campaign to discourage people from wanting blue tangs as pets. Unlike clownfish, blue tangs are very difficult to breed, so the strain on wild populations could have been even greater.

    • The slow loris, a venomous primate, has suffered dramatically due to viral videos of the animals being “tickled.” It is important to know that this animal does not enjoy this, but instead likely feels threatened and is raising its arms in a defensive instinct. In the wild, the slow loris would lick venom glands on its arm to mix venom with its saliva before biting a threat (in this case, human hands). Slow lorises sold as pets have had their venom glands removed, a painful process which leaves the animal essentially defenseless.

    • Another animal hurt by social media videos is foxes. Fennec, red and gray foxes are all thought of as cute pets because of the messaging online videos send. These videos are misleading because they do not show the negative aspects of having a fox in your home. In reality, foxes can be destructive, smelly, loud, and hyperactive.

• Many animals are sold online via Craigslist and social media, while others are sold at auctions and trade shows. They’re often sold as infants or juveniles that seem harmless and easy to maintain. However, these animals grow up to be dangerous adults with needs that can only be met at facilities with professional care and regulated by strict standards.

Animal Well-being

• There are a wide variety of impacts from animals being taken from the wild. Since many people desire “cute” baby animals and youngsters are easier to transport than larger animals, mothers are often killed so their babies can be taken for the pet trade. Not only does this reduce populations of endangered species; it can cause severe trauma for young animals and can lead to difficulty socializing with conspecifics later in life.

• All animals have basic needs and some animals are more difficult for humans to care for than others. People desire exotic pets for their uniqueness, often not realizing that most animals die in transport and require exponentially more time, money and attention than a dog or cat. Some exotic pet owners will try to keep up with growing needs for space, food and enrichment but are unable to financially support the animal’s needs.

• Exotic pets still have wild instincts that require enrichment – interactives and activities that enhance the animal’s quality of life and encourage their natural behaviors. Due to lack of proper care, the Humane Society of the United States reports that it is common for exotic pets to be malnourished and stressed, often developing behavioral issues that can lead to bites or attacks.

Impacts on Communities

• In addition to reducing wild populations, removing these animals from their natural habitats negatively affects the delicate ecosystems which rely on each species to keep plant and animal populations balanced. When ecosystems are disrupted, they may not be able to meet the needs of communities that rely on them for resources and economic opportunities.

• Exotic pets come with real health and safety implications.

  • • Reptiles and amphibians carry salmonella. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 74,000 salmonella poisoning cases linked to these pets each year (HSUS).

    • Other exotic pets, such as primates and rodents, carry viruses like Herpes B, monkey pox, and rabies – all highly infectious and potentially fatal to humans.

    • Exotic pets can also be unpredictable. There are countless incidents of exotic pets (such as tigers and lions) escaping and incidentally hurting others or getting hurt (or killed) in the process.

What can you do to help?

You can help stop the illegal exotic pet trade by pledging to be a responsible pet guardian.

• Our pets should thrive in our care, not just survive. Do your research before bringing a new pet into your home to ensure you can provide for its dietary, environmental, social and health needs so it can thrive, not just survive. All animals have basic needs. You must make sure any animal you bring into your home is the right choice for your family and your lifestyle. You can find educational resources online or ask for them where you adopt your pet. The Atlanta Humane Society has an online guide to pet care in addition to other educational resources and initiatives.

  • • Examples of responsible pet choices may include dogs, cats, some insects (such as hissing cockroaches), some reptiles (leopard geckos and bearded dragons), rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, and gerbils.

    • Pets with more advanced needs include parrots and other birds, most reptiles (pythons, boas, iguanas, chameleons, tortoises, and turtles), ferrets, rabbits, and farm animals.

    • Some examples of irresponsible pet choices include big cats, primates and other exotic, non-domesticated species.

• Only purchase pets from legal, ethical sources. Consider adopting pets from shelters or rescue organizations rather than supporting breeders or puppy mills. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that six to eight MILLION dogs and cats enter shelters each year and approximately three million of those are euthanized. An estimated 80% (2.4 million) of euthanized animals are healthy or have treatable conditions and could have been adopted.

  • • Ask your local pet store where their animals come from, keeping in mind that responsible breeders do not sell their animals to pet shops. About 60 cities across the country have passed laws mandating that pet stores only sell dogs from shelters. The City of Atlanta has banned the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores altogether in an effort to discourage “backyard breeding” of these animals.

    • An important responsibility in regard to pet ownership is spaying and neutering your pet to prevent accidental pregnancy. With so many animals in shelters, it’s important to find them homes before bringing more animals into the world.

• Do not give live animals as gifts. Bringing a new pet into your home should be an informed decision, not an unexpected surprise.

  • • After dogs and cats, rabbits are the third most common animal surrendered at shelters, largely because people acquire them as youngsters but aren’t prepared for the long-term commitment involved. Approximately 80% of shelter rabbits are abandoned Easter gifts, but most of them are euthanized or die after being “set free.”

• If you decide a cat is the right companion for you, consider keeping your cat inside. Outdoor cats can harm their local ecosystem because they’re very efficient predators, but they don’t always hunt to eat. This leads to over-hunting and even species endangerment. The annual U.S. bird mortality from predation by cats is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions.

Other ways to help

• Just keep scrolling! Not sharing photos or videos of wild animals as pets is an easy way to help. These videos send a false message that these animals make suitable pets and have been directly linked to spikes in these animals being taken from the wild for the pet trade.

• When traveling, make sure to only support ethical, accredited animal facilities. Red flags that indicate a facility may not provide the best care for animals include advertising opportunities to ride an elephant or interact with a tiger cub. These are not natural behaviors for these animals and chances are they are not choosing to participate in these activities voluntarily. Carnivores like lions and tigers are often drugged heavily so they will not attack during these interactions.

• Encourage your friends and family to join you in these efforts!

Recommended resources for additional information

• IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group

• Wildlife Trafficking Alliance

Updated May 2020