It is impossible to detect all violations of the welfare of exotic animals. Often the carefully hidden, illegal pet shows up at atypical moments. For example, a couple of years ago, a resident of Skanstes Street saw a fat black leopard in the stairwell of an apartment building. The massive cat was unhealthy, overfed and had claws pulled from its paws.
The Animal Protection Act stipulates that it is prohibited to purchase, keep in captivity, expropriate or hold for sale or exchange and offer for trade the following animals:
- wild species of carnivores;
- primates;
- marine mammals;
- animals of the crocodilian order;
- snake-like animals
Big cats or primates do not usually appear on domestic classifieds pages, but other atypical pets are often sold on portals. For example, an ordinary citizen can easily buy a black swan for a mere 650 euros. Currently, a serval cat weighing ten kilograms is also being sold for 4,500 euros. Scorpions and tarantulas cost under a hundred euros, but pythons of different colors and patterns cost an average of 400 euros each. A predator often found in Latvian forests costs 350 euros.
The “Degpunkt” program called the owner of the fox to find out what is needed to maintain the animal’s well-being and whether it is legal at all.
In “Degpunkt” a conversation with the owner of the fox
“In the burning point”: Can I keep him in the apartment?
Fox host: No, she stinks. It’s a fox.
“In the burning point”: Need previous experience with wild carnivores?
Fox host: In principle, you don’t need anything like that, they are quite calm.
“In the burning point”: Do I have to register her or what should I do?
Fox host: Well, you can only sign up at the Food and Veterinary Service, they have documents and a passport.
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Rihards Miķelsons, the senior expert of the Nature Protection Board (DAP), says that legally, almost anyone can keep all the animals currently offered in advertisements. However, before buying an animal, you should understand what the regulatory regulation is, and the place of keeping should be coordinated with PVD. If the animal is of legal origin, it may be traded.
The seller must make sure that the next owner is capable of taking care of an untamed predator. In the wrong way, a person can find himself with the teeth of the beast in his neck.
Animals capable of biting their owner have not been confiscated in Latvia for quite some time. Data from the Nature Protection Board show that almost 20 parrots have been confiscated in the last two years, the origin of which the trader or owner cannot prove. In general, cases of smuggling of exotic animals have decreased since the time of the pandemic, when such a business boomed.
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