Exotic Pets Pose Costly Hazards

Posted on May 8, 2009 in Animals, Health & Medicine

How much is that doggie in the window? Chances are, the environmental and health risks brought on by the demand for pets from different countries cost far more than the initial price tag.

Between 2000 and 2006, the United States imported almost 1.5 billion live animals from 190 countries, according to a paper published in the journal Science. The pet trade accounts for most of these animals, 80 percent of which come from wild populations. The most popular exotic pets are tropical and freshwater fish, but reptiles and amphibians also top the list.

Nearly 70 percent of imported animals come from parts of Southeast Asia, a known hotspot for emerging diseases. Many of these diseases can be passed from animal to human, putting pet owners and others at risk for an outbreak similar to the swine flu.

Keeping a pet population in check may take a toll on pocketbooks, too. In a paper published last week in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, conservation biologists found that controlling an invasive species can cost 10 million or more. The paper recommended that public education campaigns be increased to teach potential pet owners about the types of animals they want to bring home.