Trading animals and diseases: Canada’s role in the global commercial wildlife trade

Executive summary:

The global wildlife trade is a multi-billion-dollar industry that involves the capture, breeding, transport, and sale of wild animals and their parts for various purposes. This trade is cruel, risky, and unsustainable. It causes immense suffering and stress to the animals involved, creates the ideal conditions for the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, and threatens the survival of many species and ecosystems. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the urgent need to address the root causes and drivers of this trade and prevent future outbreaks.

Canada is a major contributor to the global wildlife trade, importing and exporting millions of wild animals and their products every year. Canada also participates in the domestic trade of wildlife for exotic pets, hunting trophies, fur farming, entertainment, research, meat, and traditional medicine. Canada’s participation in the wildlife trade puts animal welfare, human health, and biodiversity at risk. It also fuels the illegal trade and undermines conservation efforts. Canada’s regulations and enforcement of the wildlife trade are inadequate, inconsistent, and lack transparency and accountability.

Key points:

• The report provides a snapshot of Canada’s participation in the wildlife trade, based on data obtained from government agencies and international bodies.
• The report highlights the true costs and risks of the wildlife trade for animals, people, and the environment, with examples from Canada and around the world.
• The report shows that Canadians overwhelmingly want change and support stronger laws to reduce the wildlife trade in Canada.
• The report offers recommendations for Canada to adopt a precautionary approach to the wildlife trade, based on a positive list system and a One Health, One Welfare framework.

Read the full report