Exotic
pets
and did not receive proper care.
Exotic pets in the EU
A monkey as a pet? Or some other exotic animal? You may think that’s something from the past, but it is still very common. Like chimpanzee Marria who lived with a family for years, with appalling consequences. Or serval Xirus who has deformities because he did not receive proper care.
In fact, in most EU countries it is perfectly legal to bring all kinds of exotic animal species into your home. The European Union is one of the largest markets in the world for exotic pets. This creates several problems.
Animal welfare
Local ecosystems
Biodiversity
Public health and safety
The solution
We advocate for a Positive List for pets throughout Europe. This is a list containing the animal species that are considered suitable as pets by independent experts. All animals not on the list are automatically not allowed as pets.
We are pushing for more EU member states to work with this instrument and eventually a Positive List for the entire European Union. We are convinced that the use of such a Positive List is the best way to prevent the suffering of exotic animals in captivity.
Results & impact
Are you curious which EU member states already work with a Positive List? Or which ones are working on it? Hoover over the map to see the current status per country.

At AAP, Xirus was able to regain his strength. Several examinations were necessary to monitor the recovery of the serval.
