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Many of us, or children in our lives, have passed snakes around classrooms, seen hedgehogs or tortoises sitting under bright lights at birthday parties, or seen lizards displayed in plastic containers at exotic pet expos.
Across British Columbia, exotic animals are being transported to birthday parties, schools, fairs, and expo events through what are known as mobile live animal programs, or MLAPs. These programs are often marketed as educational and family friendly. But what do they really teach, and at what cost?
There are growing calls, including from the VHS, other animal protection organizations, and the Union of B.C. Municipalities, for the B.C. government to regulate mobile live animal programs and update outdated exotic animal regulations using a science-based approach.
Because these programs are often presented as educational or harmless, many people have questions about how they work and what impacts they may have on animals, public safety, and conservation.
Below are answers to some of the most common questions about mobile live animal programs and exotic animal regulations in B.C.
MLAPs involve transporting animals to different locations for display, public entertainment, fundraising, or sale. This can include travelling petting zoos, classroom presentations, reptile expos, and events where exotic animals are sold.
Many of the animals used in these programs are wild, exotic animals. By this, we mean that they are non-domesticated species native to countries outside Canada. Unlike dogs, cats, or horses, exotic animals have not been domesticated over thousands of years to live alongside people. Species like snakes, lizards, tortoises, sugar gliders, and spiders retain their wild instincts, even if bred in captivity.
MLAPs are often defended as hands-on learning experiences that help children develop care for conservation or empathy for animals. However, research does not support the claim that interacting with live animals in these settings increases conservation knowledge or action.
Some research actually suggests that these experiences can result in negative emotional or intellectual perceptions of animals. Seeing animals removed from their natural environments, confined in small enclosures, and handled repeatedly can normalize the idea that wild animals exist for human use.
Hands-on interactions can also increase the desire to own exotic animals, particularly among children. Rather than discouraging impulse purchases, close contact may unintentionally fuel demand.
Researchers note that seeing animals up close is not necessary to foster learning, care, or conservation. Many beloved species, such as humpback whales, are widely protected without ever being held or handled by the public.
Exotic animals, whether captive bred or wild caught, have complex social, behavioural, dietary, and environmental needs. These needs are difficult to meet in captivity and even more difficult in private homes.
When their needs are not met, animals may suffer chronic stress, illness, and premature death. It can also be challenging and costly to access specialized veterinary care. This can result in painful death, abandonment or surrender to already overburdened rescues.
Even well-intentioned guardians may not have the expertise or resources required to properly care for exotic species. That is why the VHS supports a science-based “positive list” framework. This framework would outline species allowed to be kept as pets and would be based on welfare, health, safety, and environmental criteria.
B.C.’s current Controlled Alien Species Regulations (CASR) are based on a lengthy and reactive “negative listing” approach, which lists 1000+ restricted and prohibited species. The current regulations also do not include animal welfare or disease risk as considerations for which animals are prohibited.
Exotic animals used in MLAPs face significant welfare risks, including stress from:
- Frequent travel to and from events, sometimes long distances
- Repeated public handling
- Undersized or barren enclosures during transport and display
- Inability to escape from public view or the view of other animals
- Exposure to unnatural lighting, temperature, humidity, noise, and smells
Research shows that many reptiles and other exotic animals hide signs of stress as a survival tactic. An animal that appears calm may still be experiencing chronic stress, which can have serious physical and psychological impacts.
The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries opposes public contact with wildlife, stating that pay-to-play activities are never in the best interest of the animal and can pose risks to both public safety and animal health.
Many exotic animals are sold across the province in barren, plastic take-out style containers with little to no enrichment, space, or opportunity to exhibit natural behaviours. It is often unclear how long animals remain in these containers throughout the duration of an event, which may last several hours or even multiple days.
To justify this type of confinement, some organizations have referenced the International Air Transport Association’s Live Animals Regulations. These guidelines are designed to keep animals safe during air travel, where they may risk injury due to turbulence, and are intended to apply only during active transport.
However, while travel to and from events may require temporary housing, displaying animals for sale or entertainment at an expo or event is not a period of active travel and does not pose the same safety risks as periods of active travel. Stress that animals experience in these housing environments far outweigh any potential benefits.
Travel is often one of the most stressful events in any animal’s life, and all efforts should be made to minimize the need to transport animals, the duration of travel, and time spent in restrictive temporary housing.
Unlike transportation guidelines, there are currently no consistent provincial standards in B.C. that regulate adequate animal handling or living spaces at mobile live animal events. Keeping animals in temporary, restrictive housing for entire days or weekends for the purpose of sale or public display can compromise animal welfare and increase stress and suffering.
Some MLAPs describe themselves as rescues that rely on events to raise funds for animal care. While funding challenges are real, reputable sanctuaries and rescues prioritize animal welfare above all else and successfully raise funds without putting animals at risk of stress and suffering.
Grants, animal sponsorship programs, online peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate partnerships, and community events offer sustainable alternatives. Ethical rescues prioritize the long-term well-being of animals and do not use wild or exotic animals for public handling or entertainment.
The VHS is urging the B.C. government to:
- Establish clear, enforceable regulations for mobile live animal programs that address animal welfare, environmental, public health and safety issues;
- Update and strengthen the CASR to prioritize animal welfare and public health considerations, alongside public safety, when determining which species can be kept, bred, and traded;
- Support a ban on keeping exotic species that cannot be humanely or safely kept.
Peer-reviewed research, including recent analysis of reptile expos, supports stronger oversight and evidence-based regulations. A comprehensive approach must address both the sale of exotic animals and their use in public interaction programs.
There are better ways to educate and inspire
We can foster compassion for animals without transporting them to and from parties and expos to be handled and put on display. Documentaries, virtual learning, sanctuary/rescue visits that prioritize animal well-being, and conservation programs all offer meaningful ways to engage the public.
As public awareness grows, sentiment is shifting away from using live animals for entertainment and outreach. B.C. has an opportunity to lead with thoughtful, science-based policy that protects animals, public safety, and native ecosystems.
If you believe wild, exotic animals deserve better protection, join us in calling on the provincial government to regulate mobile live animal programs and update B.C.’s exotic animal rules.
Together, we can build a future where education and compassion never come at the expense of animal welfare.
The VHS is grateful to the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada for their generous grant funding of our work to raise awareness about the suffering of wild, exotic animals kept in captivity as pets and used in mobile live animal programs.
