Success: Otter Pet Trade Banned

Target: Ivonne Higuero, Secretary General of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Goal: Applaud the incoming ban on the sale and trade of otters as exotic pets.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has voted to increase legal protection of otters in Asia. The demand for the small-clawed and smooth-coat species of otter on the exotic pet market has been high, causing a serious drop in the species’ numbers over the last several years.

The exotic pet market is one of the most dangerous and unethical in existence. Wild animals are torn from their natural habitat and either sold right away on the black market for large sums of money, or bred in captivity to create a supply of offspring. Otters are among many animals who have suffered badly from this trade; they were considered “safe” to keep in a house due to their small size, and therefore “acceptable” to sell as pets. Petitions such as this one circulated demanding the exploitation stop.

The increased legal protection of otters is a long-awaited decision. The ban will come into effect very soon, thus giving both species of otter a chance to rebuild their numbers and stabilize their population. Sign this petition to thank CITES for taking such an important step in wildlife protection.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Secretary General Higuero,

Thank you for CITES’s decision to increase legal protection of Asian otters, banning the sale of them on the exotic pet market. This market is one of the most unethical in existence, a crime against wildlife. The law has previously seen otters as “acceptable” exotic pets due to their size. This is not true, as they are wild animals who cannot thrive outside their natural environment.

The pet trade is responsible for the decline in their numbers over the past several years. With the ban in place, otters will be able to repopulate and stabilize their numbers. Thank you for taking such an important step to protect these innocent creatures from such exploitation.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Dmitry Azovtsev