Animal rights’ groups want to stop people from keeping ‘exotic’ or ‘wild’ pets and that does include fish. They are campaigning to convince people that keeping this kind of pet is wrong. But if you keep ornamental fish - then you're an exotic pet keeper!
‘Exotic’ means anything not native to this country. All aquarium species, including fish, corals and other invertebrates like shrimp and snails, are ‘exotic’ – whether captive bred or not. And if there are no fish there's no trade or hobby – fish account for only a percentage of sales for the industry but without them there's no need for tanks, filters, food, medicines, plants etc.
Both in the UK and across EU animal campaign groups are pressing for reviews into the keeping and sale of exotic pets. If these reviews succeed in limiting the species that can be kept then it could spell the end of the ornamental fish-keeping hobby – and the livelihoods the industry sustains.
‘Exotic’ means anything not native to this country. All aquarium species, including fish, corals and other invertebrates like shrimp and snails, are ‘exotic’ – whether captive bred or not. And if there are no fish there's no trade or hobby – fish account for only a percentage of sales for the industry but without them there's no need for tanks, filters, food, medicines, plants etc.
Both in the UK and across EU animal campaign groups are pressing for reviews into the keeping and sale of exotic pets. If these reviews succeed in limiting the species that can be kept then it could spell the end of the ornamental fish-keeping hobby – and the livelihoods the industry sustains.
Anyone taking on a pet needs to do their research and pick the right pet for their lifestyle, 'exotic' or not. Educating people to know about the needs of the pet they are taking on is the key to happy and healthy pets.
Think we're going over the top?
We need politicians to understand that exotic and wild-caught pets include tropical and coldwater fish. We want politicians to realise keeping tropical fish brings a lot of pleasure to people, as well as social, economic and health benefits to the UK and beyond, and is important to their voters - and that means you! So we'd urge you to start asking your MP where they stand on the issue of exotic pets and if they support the idea that fish should no longer be kept as pets.
To give you a flavour, below is what animal campaign groups have to say about exotic pet-keeping. Some of these groups use the definition of 'wild animals' based on the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. This states that 'aquarium and pond fish excluding goldfish, koi carp and golden orfe' are defined as 'wild animals'. You can see what the Act says here.
To give you a flavour, below is what animal campaign groups have to say about exotic pet-keeping. Some of these groups use the definition of 'wild animals' based on the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. This states that 'aquarium and pond fish excluding goldfish, koi carp and golden orfe' are defined as 'wild animals'. You can see what the Act says here.
Born free foundation
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Born Free opposes the keeping of wild or exotic animals as pets, challenges the exotic pet industry and trade, and campaigns for national and international legislation to reduce and where possible end this practice. |
Eurogroup for animals
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Our goal [with the European Exotic Pet Campaign] is to reduce the number of exotic animals being kept as pets & increase the welfare of those exotic animals being kept as pets. |
OneKind
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OneKind urges all UK governments to work together to develop a positive list system to regulate the keeping of exotic species in Scotland, England, Wales & Northern Ireland... The legislation should facilitate a reduction in the numbers & types of non-domesticated birds, mammals, fish & reptiles in private keeping. |
Animal protection agency
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The Animal Protection Agency is the UK organisation committed to ceasing the trade in wildlife for pets. |
Emergent
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In the medium-to-long terms, complete bans on trading wild animals as pets must be implemented. In the short-to-medium terms the widespread introduction of positive lists would allow for only extensively and scientifically pre-checked species to be approved for trade. |
ENDCAP
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Whilst ENDCAP is opposed in principal to the import & keeping of wild animals as pets, in the short to medium term, ENDCAP calls on Member States [of the EU] to limit which animal species can be imported & kept as pets by adopting a positive (white) list of animal species, and ensuring a ban on the importation of wild-caught animals. |
captive animals' protection society
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Exotic animals are not pets. |
RSPCA
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The RSPCA are opposed to the trade in wild-caught animals and products derived from them. The RSPCA are opposed to the trade in captive-bred wild animals and products derived from them, where there are grounds for believing that suffering may in practice be caused as a result of breeding, holding, transportation or use of the animal. |
