Animal protection groups urge P.E.I. government to crack down

Two organizations are calling on the Prince Edward Island government to crack down on exotic animal trading.

In a June 2 release, organizations World Animal Protection and Zoocheck, alongside local animal advocates, requested changes be made to the Animal Welfare Act and Wildlife Conservation Act to better regulate the exotic wildlife pet trade.

In the release, organization representatives said the trading of exotic wildlife causes serious risk to animal welfare, public health and the environment.

Elizabeth Schoales, a local animal advocate and conservationist, said she first raised the issue with the departments of agriculture and land, environment and health and wellness over three years ago.

“They are aware of the problems the destructive exotic pet industry poses and that P.E.I. legislation currently allows the import, sale and keeping of exotic wild animals to operate almost entirely unregulated,” said Scholaes. “We have been asking the government to close the loopholes but, to date, no action has been taken.”

Michèle Hamers, wildlife campaign manager for World Animal Protection, said there’s no denying the wild animal pet trade causes serious harm.

“As our new report, Trading Animals and Diseases, shows, the science is clear,” said Hamers. “This industry causes immense suffering to both wild-caught and captivebred animals and is driving species to extinction.”

Many other municipal and provincial governments are seeing the risks of the trade and making changes to their bylaws and legislation, said organization representatives, who hope the P.E.I. government will follow suit.