The Future of Keeping Pet Reptiles and Amphibians: Towards Integrating Animal Welfare, Human Health and Environmental Sustainability

Abstract. The keeping of exotic pets is currently under debate and governments of several countries are increasingly exploring the regulation, or even the banning, of exotic pet keeping. Major concerns are issues of public health and safety, animal welfare and biodiversity conservation. The keeping of reptiles and amphibians in captivity encompasses all the potential issues identified with keeping exotic pets, and many of those relating to traditional domestic pets. Within the context of risks posed by pets in general, we argue for the responsible and sustainable keeping of reptile and amphibian pets by private persons, based on scientific evidence and on our own expertise (veterinary medicine, captive husbandry, conservation biology).