Large Property Company Bans Pocket Pets

January 2015

After years of communication with CBL Associates & Properties, Inc.—the fourth largest shopping mall real estate investment trust in the nation, which manages 130 properties, including 79 malls and open-air centers—PETA finally persuaded the company to ban the sale of sugar gliders! CBL was the last of the big mall owners to still allow the sale of “pocket pets”—small exotic animals, such as flying squirrels, who are often purchased as popular fad gifts and frequently end up in the hands of impulsive buyers. Many of these animals are subjected to unsuitable climates, endure the stress of being confined to small cages, and are tossed aside when a new fad arises.