DELHI, India— Animal protection organization Humane World for Animals India, in collaboration with Kritika Balaji, a wildlife trade researcher, has published a new report titled “Safeguarding Biodiversity and Public Health: A Policy Analysis of Exotic Pet Trade in India”. The report highlights critical gaps in India’s legal and regulatory framework governing the rapidly expanding exotic pet trade warns of serious risks to public health, native ecosystems and animal welfare, and offers a set of recommendations for action to address these concerns.
A copy of the report is available for download here.
India has witnessed a steady rise in the demand for exotic (non-native) wildlife as pets, driven by their perceived status value and growing consumer demand for such animals. The surge in online sales and unregulated digital marketplaces have made the trade more accessible and difficult to monitor. Many of the animals involved are allegedly sourced through stressful, multi-stage supply chains, often illegally, and regularly confined in cramped, unhygienic conditions, leading to high mortality and compromised health. Even after purchase, most exotic species are kept in environments that fail to meet their biological, ecological and behavioural needs, resulting in chronic stress, disease, and poor welfare outcomes.
The report makes several recommendations, including establishing a national regulatory framework for exotic pet ownership and enhancing oversight of digital marketplace sales of wildlife. While India’s environmental, public health and wildlife laws, including the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, among others, provide a strong foundation for protecting native species, they are not adequately equipped to address the scale, complexity and evolving nature of exotic wild animal trade in the country. These laws are often fragmented and in many respects outdated.
Speaking of the report, Kritika Balaji says “Recent amendments regulating CITES-listed species are a step-forward, but significant gaps remain. Numerous species operate in a grey zone, traded, bred, and kept without adequate standards. Animals are stolen from wild habitats, trafficked in cramped suitcases, and end up in homes that, however well-intentioned, cannot replicate their natural environment. Even if species are captive-bred, the fundamental question remains. Should we keep inherently wild creatures as pets? And critically, are our systems and infrastructure prepared to manage the inherent health and ecological risks? With limited resources, it is pertinent that we prioritize coexisting with our native biodiversity in the wild, rather than the commodification of exotic animals.”
Sumanth Bindumadhav, director, wildlife protection at Humane World for Animals India, said: “Behind the exotic pet trade is a pipeline of extraction, stress, and risk. These animals are not suited for life in private homes and the consequences of treating them as such are far-reaching and often irreversible. What we’re seeing is a largely unregulated market that turns wild animals into commodities. The risks don’t stop with the animals. They extend to ecosystems, institutions and human health.”
Key findings:
- Public health at risk:
The exotic pet trade creates high-risk conditions for zoonotic disease transmission. Species commonly sold in India, including reptiles, birds and primates, are known carriers of pathogens such as Salmonella, psittacosis and herpesviruses. The report warns that India lacks a cohesive post-importation disease surveillance system, leaving major gaps in early detection and outbreak prevention. - Illegal trade on the rise:
India is emerging as both a consumer market and as a transit hub for exotic wildlife trafficking, with thousands of exotic animals trafficked annually through international routes and domestic networks. Online platforms and encrypted messaging services are increasingly being used to bypass regulation and oversight. - Oversight of non-CITES species:
While recent reforms have improved oversight of species listed under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), national regulation remains fragmented for non-CITES species. - Ecosystem threat from native species:
Released or escaped exotic pets can establish populations in the wild, outcompeting native species and destabilizing ecosystems. India currently lacks a legally binding national framework to prevent and manage invasive animal species. - Strain on public institutions:
Zoos and rescue centres are overburdened and under-equipped to handle the growing number of seized exotic animals. Many facilities lack trained veterinarians, infrastructure and long-term care for non-native species. - Severe animal welfare concerns
Exotic pets are often kept in conditions that fail to meet even basic welfare standards. The report finds a lack of enforceable, species-specific care guidelines, resulting in widespread neglect, disease and premature death.
Recommendations
The report calls for a comprehensive and coordinated policy response to address the ecological, public health and regulatory challenges posed by the exotic pet trade in India.
Key recommendations include:
- Establish a national regulatory framework for exotic pet ownership, based on science-driven risk assessments, including consideration of zoonotic risks, ecological impact and suitability for captivity.
- Expand existing legal frameworks to bring high-risk non-CITES and unlisted exotic species under regulatory oversight, including mandatory registration, health checks and risk evaluation.
- Enhance oversight of digital marketplaces by mandating traceability, seller verification and compliance disclosures for online trade in exotic animals.
- Develop and implement standardized training and operating procedures for enforcement agencies on handling exotic species, biosecurity, and zoonotic risk mitigation.
- Integrate exotic pet trade oversight into national frameworks such as the National One Health Mission, ensuring coordinated monitoring and surveillance across human, animal and environmental health systems.
- Develop and publish national guidelines on exotic pet ownership, outlining species-specific care, welfare standards and legal responsibilities.
- Promote targeted research on the exotic pet trade, including zoonotic disease risks, ecological impacts and trade dynamics.
- Expand the current infrastructure and improve capacity for housing animals rescued from the trade.
#