An exotic animal doesn't have to escape or bite someone for the consequences of the exotic pet trade to extend beyond its owner.

Scientists are documenting connections among the trade, invasive species, infectious disease, native wildlife, ecosystems, and human health.

Research highlighted by Michigan State University examines two consequences of the exotic pet trade that are often considered separately: biological invasions and infectious disease.

The concern begins long before an animal escapes.

Exotic animals are bred, imported, sold and transported across jurisdictions. Along the way, the movement of live animals can create pathways for pathogens and parasites, while animals that escape or are intentionally released may establish nonnative populations and affect native ecosystems.

THE PATCHWORK PROBLEM

A peer-reviewed study by Pratt, Lockwood, King and Pienaar examined U.S. state regulations governing the possession, sale, importation and release of vertebrate exotic pets.

The researchers found substantial inconsistencies in how states define, classify and regulate exotic animals. Once species enter the United States, they concluded, inconsistent internal regulations can facilitate the movement of animals posing invasion and disease risks across state borders. 

In other words:

Animals—and the risks they may carry—do not recognize state borders.

WHEN PETS BECOME PESTS

A second peer-reviewed study, led by Julie Lockwood, examined the exotic pet trade as a pathway for biological invasions.

Researchers documented substantial worldwide growth in nonnative vertebrate populations introduced through the pet trade and concluded that the pathway has already contributed to the establishment of hundreds of nonnative and invasive vertebrate species globally. 

The Burmese python in South Florida is one prominent example of an invasive species associated with the pet trade.

SO WHAT DOES THE SCIENCE SAY?

The research does not suggest that every exotic pet will escape, become invasive or transmit disease.

The larger lesson is that risk can exist at the level of the system—not simply the individual animal or owner.

Pratt and colleagues proposed moving toward a federally enforced list of vertebrate species permitted in the pet trade, with other species excluded unless their invasion and disease risks have been assessed and demonstrated to be low or nonexistent. 

Perhaps the question isn't simply:

“Can someone responsibly own this animal?”

Perhaps we should also ask:

What happens when millions of individual transactions collectively create pathways for animals, pathogens and invasive species to move across an entire country?

The ripple effects of the exotic pet trade can reach far beyond the cage.

Wildlife. Ecosystems. Animal health. Human health.

The science shows us just how interconnected they can be.

PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH

Pratt EN, Lockwood JL, King EG & Pienaar EF (2024).
Identifying inconsistencies in exotic pet regulations that perpetuate trade in risky species.
Conservation Biology 38(2): e14189. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14189
Read the Pratt et al. study

Lockwood JL et al. (2019).
When pets become pests: the role of the exotic pet trade in producing invasive vertebrate animals.
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 17(6): 323–330. DOI: 10.1002/fee.2059
Read the Lockwood et al. study

Science communication:
Michigan State University — Bridging Disciplines to Address Invasive Species and Disease Risks in the Pet Trade

Life in the Garden of Captives
Examining the realities of captive wildlife through facts, transparency, and accountability.