According to World Animal Protection (WAP), a global organisation dedicated to animal welfare, live animals legally imported into the UK from emerging disease hotspots to supply the domestic exotic pet trade may pose public health concerns.

In a study conducted by WAP, it was discovered that over 3 million live wild animals were imported into the UK between 2014 and 2018 from over 90 countries to be sold as exotic pets, including tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Latin America which were identified as emerging disease hotspots. The wild animals imported into the UK included African pygmy hedgehogs, iguanas and parrots. The top three wildlife exporting countries to the UK are: USA, Singapore and Czech Republic respectively.

It is believed that around 70% of all zoonotic emerging infectious diseases are originated from wild animals, and over 35 infectious diseases have emerged in humans since 1982, including Ebola and MERS. The WAP study suggested that importing a significant number of live wild animals risks the spread zoonotic diseases caused by harmful viruses and parasites introduced into new environments. In particular, the import of mammals in large quantities poses public health risks as many diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans involve animals. For example, the outbreak of monkey pox in the United States in 2003 was traced to the import of rodents from Ghana which were housed in close proximity to captive prairie dogs purchased as pets. 

According to Peter Kemple Hardy, the wildlife campaign manager of WAP: -

“the wildlife trade is a lethal hotbed of disease, because it brings wild animals with immune systems weakened by the stress of captivity, and transport in unnatural proximity to other animals, into close contact with people, often in unsanitary conditions.”

The guidelines from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency state that a licence is required before any import of non-native animals into the UK, the animals may be put in quarantine depending on its species.

That said, according to Dr Neil D’Cruze, head of wildlife research of WAP: -

“even with the best bio-security measures in place, there are still questions about what diseases are being looked for, how new and emerging diseases are being monitored and how we deal with individual animals that are imported but are asymptomatic. Given the health risks, it’s time for a re-evaluation of the commercial use of wildlife.”

In Hong Kong, between 2007 and 2018 saw the import of 4 million live animals comprising of at least 580 species for the purpose of exotic pet trade. In 2016 alone, over 1.1 million animals (excluding dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs) were imported for the purpose of the pet trade.

The import and trading of live animals in Hong Kong are regulated under the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Ordinance (Cap. 139) and the Rabies Ordinance (Cap. 421) and their regulations for the purpose of preventing the introduction and transmission of zoonotic and animal diseases. An import permit from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is required for importing animals to Hong Kong, and the AFCD will conduct assessments on, for example, the animal disease situation of the importing country and the suitability of the species to be kept as a pet. The AFCD would also impose relevant terms relating to the health of the animals to be imported, including the requirement for a veterinary health certificate from the import country.

According to an SCMP news article, the five trending exotic pets in Hong Kong as of 2018 include the green iguana, ball python, jumping spider, African spurred tortoise, and sugar glider.

Courtesy of Nicole Liang

Main Sources: Discover Wildlife, WAP, and Press Release of the HKSAR Government