Scottish charities join forces to highlight danger to creatures.
OneKind, Scottish SPCA and Born Free have launched a new campaign, “Don’t Pet Me”, to raise awareness of the widespread trade in wild animals as pets in Scotland.
They are urging the Scottish Government to introduce a permitted list of animals that can be legally kept as pets as at present there are very few restrictions on what animals can be owned.
This has led to the suffering of many animals due to unsuitable conditions, poor breeding practices, and a lack of understanding of their complex needs.
One harrowing example of this is Steve, a young marmoset monkey, who recently ended up in the care of the Scottish SPCA.
The charity’s inspectors were called out after neighbours spotted Steve in a large bird cage in a living room window in March this year.
The four-year-old monkey was underweight, stressed out from constant handling and had developed an addiction to sugary marshmallows after being constantly fed them as a treat.
Thankfully after spending six weeks in Scottish SPCA care Steve has made a full recovery and has now been transferred to his forever home in a monkey sanctuary in England.
The Scottish SPCA is one of only a handful of rescue centres in Scotland who will admit wild animals that have been kept as pets by individuals into its care, with adoption of these animals often proving challenging.
Scottish SPCA director of strategic communications and partnership engagement, Gilly Mendes Ferreira, said: “Many people are unaware of the scale of wild animal keeping in Scotland or the challenges it presents for animal welfare. ‘Don’t Pet Me’ aims to highlight the issue and encourage a more responsible approach to exotic pet ownership.
“It’s a growing and worrying trend: animals like Steve being bought and sold as novelty pets, often on impulse, with little understanding of the complex care they require.
“But while these creatures might look cute, they are anything but easy to look after. Marmosets are highly intelligent, social primates that need space, stimulation, and the companionship of their own kind.
“No domestic setting—no matter how well-meaning—can truly meet those needs. Thankfully Steve’s story has a happy ending but not every animal will be so lucky.”
The charities’ joint research involved monitoring online sales of wild animals and visiting pet shops, plus commissioning research exploring the motivations, behaviours and experiences of people who keep wild animals at home.
Results show that hundreds of exotic species – including snakes, tortoises, birds, and exotic fish – are being bought and sold for private keeping, often with little oversight or regulation.
It was noted that animals belonging to an estimated 300 different species were available to purchase online in Scotland over a 16-week period, with this campaign highlighting growing concerns about the ease with which wild animals can be acquired, often with no checks or guidance on welfare requirements.
Their report, published today, highlights that there is no specific oversight or regulation of the breeding of wild animals for the pet trade in the UK.
The trade in wild animals as pets is international, with some animals transported by mail services and couriers, in inappropriate containers, sometimes without any indication a live animal is inside.
Up to 90% of marine tropical fish and 19% of reptiles and amphibians sold in pet shops are taken from the wild, raising welfare and conservation concerns.
Some species are bred for appearance rather than health, leading to genetic disorders that affect their welfare.
Many first-time owners are younger people (born after 1980) with children’s requests seemingly being a key driver of acquisitions and purchasing behaviour linked to external influences like social media, films and games.
The new campaign has been designed to inform the public about the realities of keeping wild animals as pets and encourage discussion around future policy changes.
A petition accompanies the campaign, with members of the public being encouraged to stand alongside the charities and help put an end to the suffering of wild animals in homes across Scotland
OneKind’s director of policy, Kirsty Jenkins, said: “The research we commissioned painted a deeply worrying picture of how species commonly referred to as ‘exotic pets’ are thought of and treated – often as commodities or collections.
“Such sad stories emerged, of animals being kept in tiny boxes, poor diets, social isolation, forced handling, accidents and deaths. Some species, particularly of reptiles, are thought to be stupid and unfeeling, and treated accordingly.
“It is difficult or impossible to meet the needs of many of these animals in captivity. African pygmy hedgehogs, for example, are popular because they are ‘cute’, yet these are wild animals who would naturally roam miles every night and often do not like being handled.
“The law is currently failing to protect these animals – that must change. We also want to encourage a more thoughtful approach to keeping ‘pets’ – one of companionship, and only when the animal can thrive.”
Born Free’s Captivity research & policy manager, Chris Lewis, added: “‘Don’t Pet Me’ highlights the distressing number and variety of wild animals for sale in Scotland and the lack of regulatory oversight. This should be a major cause for concern for the Scottish Government, legislators, animal-lovers and the public in general.
“Worryingly, the data and stories of individual animals included in the report may only be the tip of the iceberg. The existing legislation is inappropriate and outdated, it is unable to keep up with ever changing trends and demand for wild animals as pets.
“Most tragically though it is failing to protect the animals sadly caught up in this trade.
“Something needs to change. In the lead up to the next Scottish election, Born Free is calling on all political parties in Scotland to commit to comprehensive changes to the laws around the buying, selling and keeping of wild animals as pets.”
