WHEN A WILD ANIMAL BECOMES A WAY TO GET ATTENTION
A recent public social media post describes bringing a serval into a pet store and enjoying the reaction. Customers reportedly pulled their dogs away. Employees gathered. The encounter was told as a funny story.
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But the animal at the center of that story is a wild cat.
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We cannot know what motivates any one person to keep an exotic pet. Still, this post raises a question about the trade that deserves more attention: When owning a wild animal makes someone feel exceptional, who pays for that experience?
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Social media can turn an exotic pet into a spectacle. The startled crowd becomes the story; the animal’s needs fade into the background. As those images circulate, keeping wildlife as pets can begin to look ordinary, appealing, or even aspirational.
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We can interrupt that cycle. Before liking or sharing a post that shows a wild animal as a novelty, ask what the animal needs, what the image leaves out, and what demand our attention may help create.
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Wild animals do not exist to make us stand out. Our choices can help keep them wild.
Related Reading/Resources From:
The Wildcat Sanctuary, accredited by the
Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS)
The Small Exotic Cat Crisis
Explore the growing problem of privately owned small wild cats—including servals, bobcats, caracals and hybrids—and the challenges created when these animals are treated as pets.
Small Cat Crisis Resources
Explore a comprehensive collection of resources addressing small wild and hybrid cats, including ownership, social-media influence, hybrid identification and the growing need for education.
Evidence • Education • Accountability
How You Can Help:
Awareness is the first step toward meaningful change. Help advance evidence-based education, transparency and accountability by sharing this article with others.
Together, we can encourage a more informed conversation about the treatment and protection of wildlife.
