Risky business: The unregulated exotic pet trade in Canada
Report
This report exposes the scale and impact of the exotic pet trade in Canada and calls for stronger regulations to protect animals, people and the environment.
Executive summary:
Millions of wild animals are kept as pets in Canada, suffering in captivity and posing risks to public health, safety and biodiversity. This report reveals that an estimated 1.4 million exotic animals, including birds, reptiles and wild mammals, are owned by Canadians. Many of these animals are legally allowed to be kept as pets due to weak and inconsistent laws across the country. The report also highlights the problems associated with the global wildlife trade, which fuels the demand for exotic pets and threatens the survival of many species.
The report urges provincial governments to adopt a positive list approach, which only permits animals that are suitable to be kept as pets based on scientific criteria. The report also encourages individuals to pledge not to buy a wild animal as a pet and to support efforts to end the exotic pet trade.
Key points:
- Exotic animals suffer in captivity due to inadequate care, stress and confinement. Many exotic pet owners are unaware of the complex needs of these animals and buy them on impulse.
- Exotic animals can be dangerous, unpredictable and carry diseases that can infect humans. There have been several incidents of exotic animals escaping, attacking or killing people in Canada.
- Exotic animals can harm the local environment if they are released or escape into the wild. They can become invasive species that compete with native wildlife or spread diseases.
- Exotic animals are threatened by the legal and illegal wildlife trade, which exploits them for profit and depletes their natural populations. Many animals die or suffer during capture and transport.
- Exotic animal laws in Canada are insufficient and vary widely by province. Some provinces have no regulations at all, while others have lists of prohibited or permitted animals that are often outdated or incomplete.
- A positive list approach is the best way to regulate exotic animal ownership. It involves listing the animals that are suitable to be kept as pets based on scientific criteria that consider animal welfare, human health and safety, environment and conservation.