After it became official today that the alleged online wild animal store "Wyld" is a campaign by the European animal welfare organization AAP, the German Animal Welfare Federation reiterates its long-standing demand for a positive list for private pet ownership.
"The "Wyld" platform wanted to demonstrate to the media what the sad reality is in Germany: even private individuals can purchase exotic animals such as big cats, poisonous snakes or monkeys relatively easily on the vastness of the internet. The legal regulations in Germany for keeping these animals are far too weak," criticizes Dr. Henriette Mackensen, Head of the Pet Department at the German Animal Welfare Federation. For many years, the federation has therefore been calling for a positive list that specifies which animals are suitable for private keeping from an animal, species and nature conservation perspective, as well as for reasons of public safety and health. "A positive list could prevent the suffering of countless animals that we simply cannot offer a species-appropriate life in our homes, apartments and gardens."
WILD ANIMAL TRADE VIA ANIMAL EXCHANGES AND THE INTERNET
Germany is the largest importer and sales market for live wild animals in the EU. Hundreds of thousands of reptiles, amphibians, fish and mammals, some of them wild-caught, are sold legally and without restriction in Germany - even species threatened with extinction. Most animals find their way to their owners via the internet or animal exchanges. It is irrelevant whether the owner can provide proof of expertise. In addition, there are no specific requirements for keeping most animals, which makes it difficult for the authorities to take action. A positive list could provide a remedy: it would specify which species are permitted in private ownership and what requirements are placed on the owner's expertise. As in other countries, the animal species on the list could include dogs, cats, guinea pigs, but also horses or bearded dragons. Compared to negative lists, a positive list would have the advantage of being shorter and clearer and new animal species could not simply be introduced to the German market. Anyone wishing to trade or keep a non-listed animal would have to prove that this is compatible with animal, nature and species protection and submit the relevant applications. "This may be the case for experts or scientifically supported species conservation projects, for example," explains Mackensen. This is also the case in Belgium, which was the first country in Europe to pave the way for a positive list in 2001 and introduced one for mammals in 2009. The responsible ministry grants exemptions for zoos, animal shelters or owners whose animals were already living with them before the positive list was adopted. "We also need grandfathering in this country so that people who currently keep and care for animals are allowed to keep them and there would not be a wave of surrenders in animal shelters," says Mackensen.
Note to editors: Further information on the positive list and the demands of the German Animal Welfare Federation can be found in the article "Listed and protected" from the magazine DU UND DAS TIER of the German Animal Welfare Federation (www.duunddastier.de/positivliste). You can find out more about the AAP campaign here: www.positivliste.org
