What does the future hold for exotic pet welfare?

In recent years there has been an increase in the amount and range of exotic pets, particularly reptiles and amphibians, possibly due to their interesting biology and uniqueness. Compared with commonly domesticated species, there is much less knowledge available on their biological needs, and inadequate care in captivity can lead to health problems such as metabolic bone disease and digestive issues, thus having a significant impact on their welfare. As vertebrates, they are protected by the Animal Welfare Act (2006) which sets out the Five Animal Needs- a clear list that details five key considerations that need to be made to ensure good welfare when keeping an animal in captivity. However there appears to be a continuing lack of awareness of this legislation amongst pet keepers, suggesting that further research is needed on how to promote the Five Needs. Alongside this issue, trends on pet vending show a rise in internet sales of animals, rendering the Pet Animals Act (PAA) 1951 outdated. The Blue Cross (2015) showed a particular trend for the use of classified websites for reptile & amphibian sales, and highlighted the lack of care guidelines or customer credential checking that might be provided if buying in a traditional pet shop. A recent Defra consultation outlined a number of proposals to update the PAA 1951, however no mention was given as to how this would address the growing issues of online sales. Further research is therefore needed to investigate numbers and range of reptiles & amphibians being sold both online and in pet shops, along with the quality of care information available and whether this promotes the Five Needs.