Downloading Cruelty: An Investigation into the Online Sales of Exotic Pets in the U.S.
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

BornFreeUSA
October 2016

It is shockingly easy to purchase exotic animals, and the rise of online sales has given untrained people greater access to these dangerous species. Downloading Cruelty provides an overview and analysis of the volume of online exotic pet sales in the U.S.

While the majority of the approximately 80 million pet-owning households in the U.S. have a dog or cat, a growing portion now own an exotic animal. It is extremely easy to purchase exotic animals, and the rise of online sales has given untrained people greater access to these dangerous species.

Downloading Cruelty: An Investigation into the Online Sales of Exotic Pets in the U.S. provides an overview and analysis of the volume of online exotic pet sales domestically.

In light of the findings detailed in Downloading Cruelty, Born Free USA recommends greater accountability by the classified ad websites, and stronger state and federal laws to crack down on the online exotic pet trade.

Download the Report Downloading Cruelty: An Investigation into the Online Sales of Exotic Pets in the U.S. - PDF

Online Exotic Pet Ads Born Free USA tracked nearly 2,000 classified ads for exotic pets. Click HERE to view a gallery of these advertisements.

Findings

Downloading Cruelty reviews nearly 2,000 online classified ads during a three-month period (March - June 2016) across four different websites (exoticanimalsforsale.com, hoobly.com, usfreeads.com, and petzlover.com).

Highlights include:

• The volume of advertised animals is shocking. At least 3,706 individual exotic animals were listed for sale over three months.
• The exotic pet trade is taking place across the nation and crisscrosses state lines. The locations of the ads showed sellers in 49 states and Washington, D.C.
• The breakdown of species for sale reveals a thriving trade in highly diverse species: 603 primates, 335 exotic cats, 439 canids, 263 snakes, and many others were for sale.
• Exotic pet breeders churn out baby animals for profit. Juvenile animals (under one year of age) were the most popular, with 2,039 (55% of the total animals) listed for sale.
• Advice on animal care and welfare was almost entirely lacking. Most ads did not provide any history of the animal, give information about the animal's health or behavior, or offer any instructions for care.
• The welfare of most animals advertised was not a priority. Some individuals for sale were kept in isolation or were reported as being injured. Ads also offered animals as "swaps" or "quick sales."
• Safety was overlooked by the sellers. Despite all of these animals being unsuitable for a home, and most posing a potential danger to humans, only nine ads warned that the animal could pose any sort of risk to the buyer.

How You Can Help

• Read Downloading Cruelty and share it with others.
• Urge your federal legislators to support the Captive Primate Safety Act and the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
• Never buy an exotic animal online (or at all). Even the smaller animals, like snakes, turtles, and sugar gliders, suffer in captivity.
• Learn more about the threats that exotic pet ownership poses to animal welfare and human safety here.

View the inconsistent patchwork of state laws [Summary of State Laws Relating to the Private Possession of Exotic Animals].

This material was used with permission by Born Free USA. This material is copyrighted by Born Free USA, and Born Free USA preserves the rights to this copyright.

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