Each year across the nation, countless numbers of exotic animals are purchased as pets. Sugar gliders, hedgehogs and prairie dogs are just a few of the exotic species recently gaining popularity in pet stores. Others, such as non-human primates, tigers and even bears are readily obtainable from private breeders and dealers who advertise to buyers via magazines and over the Internet. Wherever they come from, the global commercialization of exotic animals is a multi-billion dollar industry that often results in animal cruelty, health risks and serious population declines.
What is the exotic pet trade?
The exotic pet trade is the trade and keeping of wild animals as pets, essentially contributing to the suffering of millions of animals, threatening public health and safety, disrupting ecosystems and driving species to endangerment and extinction. Most exotic pets end up in the hands of private individuals, where they suffer from inappropriate housing and care and poor nutrition.
Many exotic animals arrive in the United States illegally. Illegal trafficking in exotic animals is a global business, worth close to $20 billion each year. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the profit made from illegal trade in wildlife ranks second only to the trade of illegal drugs in the United States.
Where do exotic animals come from?
Hundreds of millions of animals enter the exotic pet trade every year. Some are captured from their native lands. Others bred in private kennels. Even more are surplus from roadside menageries, zoos and circuses.
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Exotics are taken from the wild
To meet the demand for exotic pets, thousands of animals are taken from their native lands each year, perpetuating the decline of many species and disrupting delicate ecosystems. The animals often endure horrific transport conditions before being sold—many die along the way.
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Exotics are bred in captivity
While it is common for exotics to be taken from native habitats, others are mass-bred in captivity—but life for these animals is no easier. Similar to puppy mills, conditions at exotic breeding facilities are often very dismal and the breeder animals are often forced to live in less-than-sanitary conditions. Breeders also often remove newborns from their mothers within hours or days of birth so that they can be hand-raised. Such traumatic separations leave both mother and infant emotionally scarred.
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Exotic animals are surplus animals
Due to rampant over-breeding in certain zoos, circuses and other public animal attractions, there is often a surplus of captive-bred exotic animals entering the market. Furthermore, when baby animals reach adulthood, they are typically traded out to make room for a new batch of younger animals. Surplus animals may travel from buyer to buyer before finally ending up in another roadside menagerie, zoo or private home, or as the target in a canned hunt. Canned hunting is the practice of hunting exotic animals in a confined area. Hunters typically pay a high price to shoot and kill a rare animal, often at close range, for a surefire trophy. It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 canned hunting operations across the nation.
What is the environmental impact of the exotic pet trade?
Many of the animals in the exotic pet trade are taken out of environmentally sensitive areas such as the rainforest or African plains. The loss of animals from the wild is perilous, since ecosystems rely largely on animal carriers to spread plant seeds through their fur and dung. Furthermore, animal prey and predators rely on each other to keep populations in balance.
It is also the capture of baby animals that is the most lucrative, and often the mother is killed in order to take her young, further increasing the extinction rate of many already endangered animals.
How are most exotic animals sold to the public?
Exotic animals are sold to the highest bidder at dozens of auctions held across the United States, but the Internet has emerged as the leading place for people to buy these animals. Unfortunately, Internet trafficking of live animals is on the rise. With little more than a credit card, people can log on to one of dozens of websites and easily purchase a tiger, baboon or baby giraffe, and have a new pet within days.
Is it difficult to take care of an exotic pet?
Yes, it is almost impossible to meet the needs of an exotic animal in captivity. For example, many monkeys, reptiles, birds and wild cats travel several miles in a single day, so life in a cage or wandering around the house won't cut it. Since the vast majority of people who keep exotic animals cannot meet their needs, the animals often become the victims of abuse and neglect—they are caged, chained, tranquilized or even beaten into submission.
Malnutrition, stress, trauma and behavioral disorders are also very common in exotics kept as pets. Unfortunately, getting medical care is extremely difficult. One reason is that many exotic animals hide symptoms of illness. And even when illness is suspected, finding a proper vet could require a visit to the zoo since there are very few veterinary practices that specialize in the care of exotic pets.
Are exotic pets dangerous?
Yes. While baby lions or monkeys may be very cute and lovable pets, their owners' safety is at risk once the animals grow older and stronger, . Many adult exotics become destructive, unpredictable and physically dangerous. Because these animals are deprived of their most basic needs, they become stressed and agitated, causing them to lash out. Thousands of people have been attacked and seriously injured by exotic pets. Some of the attacks are fatal, and children have too often been the victims.
Can exotic pets spread disease?
The physical safety of the public is not only an issue for owners of exotic animals: the spread of disease is a much larger threat. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each oppose keeping certain exotic animals as pets. Exotic animals often carry diseases such as herpes B, salmonella, monkey pox and rabies, all of which are easily transmittable to and potentially lethal to humans.
Why do exotic pets often become the victims of abuse?
Most people who buy exotic animals have no idea what they're getting into. Even the most well-meaning person can become frustrated after trying to meet the high demands and special needs of a "pet" monkey for 30 years. As wild animals age and become more difficult to handle, some owners will have their pets' teeth or claws removed so that the animal cannot cause harm if he tries to struggle.
Eventually, the owner may realize it is impossible to meet the animal's needs, and come to understand the inherent cruelty of keeping the animal captive. But what can a person do? Most shelters aren't equipped to handle exotic animals. Reputable zoos won't take them—and the dealer won't take the animal back! There are a few sanctuaries for exotic animals, but space is very limited.
Many exotic animals who become too difficult for their owners to care for, or who have outgrown their "cute" phase, end up languishing in small pens in backyards, doomed to live in deplorable conditions. Others are abandoned, killed or sold back into the pet trade. Some people will set the animal loose—which is dangerous and illegal. The animal can spread diseases to native species, or could kill native animals and free-roaming pets. Setting the animal loose is also cruel to the animal, since he or she is not adapted for the habitat.
Ultimately, local governments and taxpayers bear enormous responsibility when exotic animals are set loose or escape and must be recaptured, or when they are seized due to neglect or because they are endangering the community.
What about small exotic animals—don't they make good pets?
Parrots, reptiles and other small animals such as hedgehogs and sugar gliders are often mistakenly thought of as easy "starter pets" for children. The truth is these small exotic animals require very special care and maintenance and veterinary costs can be extreme. When people discover that they are unprepared or unable to provide for their exotic pets' costly needs, these animals are often abandoned or die from inadequate care. Furthermore, many of these animals are shipped to pet stores over long distances, which can be very stressful and cause illness and injury to the animals before they reach the sales floor.
Are there laws about keeping exotics animals as pets?
There are a handful of federal laws that prohibit the sale and interstate transport of certain exotic animals for keeping as pets (these include the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, the Wild Bird Conservation Act and the Endangered Species Act). Furthermore, most states have implemented some level of restriction on the ownership of exotic animals. These laws take many forms and their severity varies widely, ranging from outright bans on keeping certain species to merely requiring licences or permits.
View an interactive U.S. map showing the exotic pet laws for every state.
What can I do to help?
There are many ways you can help end the exotic pet trade:
- Do not buy exotic animals, including certain birds and reptiles, from dealers or pet shops.
- Refuse to patronize stores and websites that sell exotic pets.
- Educate family and friends about the animal welfare problems and safety concerns related to keeping exotic animals.
- Do not visit roadside zoos and menageries that breed or display animals for profit. Take a more active role in helping to end the exotic pet trade by working with the ASPCA to pass legislation that prohibits the sale or keeping of exotic animals. Stay up-to-date about current legislation to ban exotic pets by joining the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade.
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