The madness of wild animal legislation when it comes to legally owning them
It boggles the mind that someone can keep a Bengal tiger without a permit but a local leopard tortoise needs one.
With headlines of terror with two tigers dominating the news lately, the paper decided to unpack the legalities and flaws in legislation that governs exotic pets.
The Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital has seen an approximate 200 – 1 000% increase in the illegal pet trade depending on the species, according to Wendy Willson, legal and operations lead.
They make the distinction between wild and domesticated animals and the vastly different kinds of care they require. “It is imperative to remember that these wild animals kept as pets are being kept in unnatural habitats. No matter how good the conditions, or the cage, or the overall input into that wild animal’s captivity, it is still impossible to meet even the most basic needs of the animal.”
She said when asked why people keep such animals, “I would say largely for the ‘wow’ factor of having an unusual animal to bolster image, and status or for ‘bragging rights.”
Johannesburg Zoo’s veterinary hospital’s head nurse Cherene Williams said, “The pet trade, specifically in exotic animals and wildlife, is massive and unbelievably cruel to the animals.
“There are no hard and fast rules controlling the trade and buying of exotics leaves unscrupulous sellers and owners largely free to do as they please which is devastating. I’m talking about tigers, jaguars, and cougars as examples. They can be legally owned without a permit, but indigenous small meerkats need a permit that must be renewed annually. It makes no sense.”
Indigenous wild animals from South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia need a permit, but those imported from around the world do not – like the well-loved bearded dragons which are indigenous to Australia. Potentially dangerous animals like a leopard fall into this same category which is ‘crazy’ said Williams.
“The exotic pet trade is making a fortune with people paying hundreds of thousands of rands for one shipment of animals. This financial reward encourages illegal trade in animals. These creatures are sold by poachers who plunder animals which are ripped out of nature and their natural habitats to be kept on unregulated properties and often by people who do not care for them correctly or humanely.”
She says the exotic animal trade is a reality and if someone wants to keep such an exotic animal as a pet, please do the following:
- Really look into what care the animal needs before you buy.
- Investigate when the animal has fully grown what size enclosure it will need and what safety precautions will need to be in place to keep humans safe around it.
- Look into what options are ethically available if you decide you can no longer keep the animal.
- Find out what specialised food it will require and can you provide it.
- Keep in mind, the people selling these animals don’t care about their welfare, they just want the money for it so don’t believe everything you are told in relation to their care.
- Remember that just because it is legal to keep such animals, does not mean it is ethical.
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