“Dangerous situations like the one currently in Berlin show how urgently politicians must act now. The German Animal Welfare Act is currently being revised. We now have the opportunity to legally enshrine a positive list for the trade and private keeping of exotic pets nationwide. A positive list is a list of animals that are suitable for private keeping and trade,» says Ronco Alarcón.
Germany is one of the world’s largest sales markets and hubs for exotic pets. Potential buyers can buy almost anything spontaneously and without prior knowledge via online platforms and animal exchanges. Often for a very reasonable price. As a rule, there is no clarification, advice or controls for the buyer. Hundreds of thousands of wild animals are offered for sale as exotic pets in Germany every year. In addition to animal and species protection aspects and threats to native biodiversity, the private keeping of wild animals entails high risks for public safety and health.
So far, each federal state has independently regulated which wild animals may be kept privately. As long as there are no uniform regulations at the federal level, it is up to the federal states to establish their own state regulations on the private keeping of wild animals for reasons of averting danger. However, this leads to a fragmented control system. There should be uniform federal regulations in connection with the private keeping and trading of exotic pets. A positive list would therefore be the best solution.
You can find more information about ‘ commitment to wildlife here.
Nadine Ronco Alarcón is available for interviews.