THE Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) wants Putrajaya to impose tougher laws to monitor exotic pet trade in the country.

Its president Mohideen Abdul Kader said this is to put a stop to the trade of wildlife, illegal or otherwise, and to prevent Malaysians, children especially, from owning exotic pets.

“The trade of exotic animals is out of control because of the increasing number of animals being traded and because the trade remains largely unregulated,” Mohideen said in a statement today.

“Tougher legislation is needed against illegal pet trade and law enforcement authorities need to be apprised of the legislation to aid in the monitoring of all pet shops in the country.

“CAP would strongly urge against keeping exotic species as pets or ornamental (animals). Whether traded legally or illegally, keeping wild animals as pets is cruel. A life in captivity is a life of suffering for exotic wild animals.”

He said exotic animals come from different living conditions and could potentially be mishandled by children.

“Children often mishandle exotic pets by handling them roughly, causing distress to these animals.”

He said public demand could encourage poachers to hunt endangered animals, though he conceded not all wildlife trade is illegal.

“Not all retailers are scrupulous in ensuring the exotic animals they buy are imported legally.

“The exotic animals in this process suffer at every step of the journey from capturing, handling, transporting, holding, breeding, and selling, to a lifetime of captivity in homes in substandard conditions, without proper food and care, and who may later die or be abandoned.”

With exotic animals, Mohideen said there is also a risk that these animals, which are non-native, will be abandoned or escape into the wild.

This may cause competition with native species, he added.

In an interview with The Malaysian Insight, Leslie Lim, the owner of Reptiles Super Store in Puchong, said children are fuelling the exotic pet trade in Malaysia because these animals need minimal care, unlike cats and dogs.

Lim said many children research the reptiles they like online before asking their parents to buy them.

These exotic animals are said to be easy to take care of and cheap to feed, he said.

“There’s a cool factor to owning exotic animals,” Lim said.

“They (children) are intrigued and they bring their parents here to purchase the animals for them.

“Dogs and cats take a lot of time to groom and feed, but snakes, for example, you only feed them one a week.

“It’s very simple, you don’t have to pay so much attention, but you can teach your kids to be responsible.”

The leopard gecko is popular among children, Lim said, adding that it costs only RM300 to own. – September 26, 2022.