PURPOSEFUL PET OWNERSHIP

1. Just say NO to exotic animals as pets. Besides not wanting to support the illegal exotic pet trade, the typical household cannot provide the standard of care and stimulation that an exotic animal needs.
2. Don’t take animals from the wild. Even the smallest critters like salamanders and box turtles play a critical role within their ecosystem.
3. Don’t release animals into the wild. Just like we don’t want to take animals from the wild, it’s equally important to not release pets into the wild. Animals kept as pets become dependent on humans to care for them so they may not know how to fend for themselves in the wild.

Featured Initiatives & Partners

A coalition of more than 90 leading companies, non-profit organizations, and AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums working together to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the illegal trade of wildlife and wildlife products.

The Wildlife Trafficking Alliance coordinates efforts to:

• Reduce consumer demand for illegally traded wildlife and wildlife products;
• Advance laws, regulations, and policies that reduce illegal wildlife trade; and
• Provide a cooperative and coordinated response protocol for the care and welfare of wildlife confiscated from illegal trade.