The following from an exotic rescue is indicative of a problem we face today with kitchen-sink exotic animal breeders. Back up to the late 1990s the EAR had worked with others to stop illegal exotic animal selling and crackdown on the dubious elements.
At some point legislation was scrapped and we see what we have today; porcupine, capybara, raccoons and many more species being bred and sold and all via "secure mobile phone apps" -anything to hide? Raccoons and capybara have been in the wild in the UK for at least a century so they are nothing new but the species being bred, sold with little or no checks and certainly no follow up "how are you getting along with it?" calls. It's money in hand and then run.
Wildside Exotic Rescue is a private sanctuary for wild captive animals traded and kept as pets, that rescues and rehabilitates those in need and inspires humans to end the wild pet trade. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555018177054
WildSide is home to 189 animals from Meerkat to Mountain Lion."This Coati was living his life out in a parrot cage on the floor in a lounge. He had a red clothed harness on which the owner said he had arrived in and they had never removed it. The only thing in this cage was a water bottle. He had been trapped in this cage for 15 months.
"On getting him home I transferred him to an inspection crate where I could examine his body. Bad sores were visible at the edges of the harness. Straight to vets where he was sedated so we could do a full unimpeded examination and safely remove the harness. The harness had caused serious rubbing wounds and then as the animal had grown the harness had grown into the wound. The pain must have been unbearable. Recovery was slow but on pain relief and without the rubbing the Coati rapidly perked up. He is now living out his life with two other Coatis and the three males are active, high energy and love eggs.
"The owner was not intentionally cruel, just like many we take animals off, did not understand or see what they were doing. Some even tell us that they love and will miss their animal, an animal that has and is suffering. People acquire wild animals often with false reassurances from breeders at how simple it will be, do no homework or preparation and the animal suffers.
"So I think the systems have to change to make it hard for people to own a wild animal as no legislation or license in the world will offer these animals true protection once inside a home or garden."
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