Authorities at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport arrested a man headed to Dubai who had “a virtual zoo” of baby exotic animals stuffed in cages and canisters inside his suitcases. Anti-trafficking officers had been tracking the smuggler since he purchased two leopards, two panthers, an Asiatic black bear, and two macaque monkeys, and they believe that he is part of a wildlife smuggling network.
Unfortunately, wildlife trafficking isn’t limited to Thailand and Dubai. Before it was shut down following a PETA investigation, Texas-based U.S. Global Exotics (USGE) was a major player in the exotic-animal trade, importing and exporting hundreds of thousands of animals annually for years and supplying animals to companies and dealers all over the world, including PetSmart and PETCO.
Animals are still suffering at similar facilities, and they will continue to do so as long as people buy exotic animals from pet stores. Please encourage anyone you know who wants to share their home with an animal always to adopt and never buy.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
