The Dangers of Animals on Social Media

 Have you ever scrolled through TikTok or Instagram and seen cute videos of people with their unusual pets such as jaguars, squirrels, and even raccoons? And then thought "that is so cute, I want one!"?

This is what happens, people see these videos and search out to get one themselves but the truth about how these animals are sourced and their requirements that aren't being met in captivity is much darker than the viral videos show.

Most exotic animals will be sourced from overseas and are normally stolen from their parents as a baby which is very distressing to both the parents and the stolen animal. The other way which is just as dark is when animals get taken into captivity to breed offspring that will then be sold as pets. Usually the welfare conditions are not good at all here and the captured animals are just used as breeding machines for human profit.

When a customer has received the exotic pet, they normally get them on a whim without knowing anything about the species and their needs, and treat them like a baby or an average house pet such as a cat or a dog. Most of these animals that are captured and imported need a wide open space to thrive and the correct social groups and enrichment, all in which they don't have access to in captivity.

I applaud the creators that take these animals in as rescues and rehabilitate them, but people who just get them for clout and popularity are not passing the vibe check.

So next time you see someone flashing an exotic pet online, don't give them the attention, but you could even go to the comments and educate people.

Animals are not toys or fashion accessories, they are living beings who deserve happiness and freedom. Luckily the import laws in the UK are pretty up to standards but in places such as the US the same thing can't be said.