Stuffed inside a box and sent through the mail. Is this the way to treat a living, breathing animal? Believe it or not, this is how many thousands of animals, and reptiles in particular, are transported each year to be sold into the pet trade. Some are transported from within the United States and others from other countries. Animal deaths in transit are so common that many sellers have replacement policies if the animal arrives dead, or they offer insurance policies to cover the monetary loss to the buyer if their animal dies in the mail. Considered disposable and replaceable, reptiles struggle to adapt to life in a tank and reported mortality rates are high. While stress behaviors (stereotypies), such as pacing, are largely attributed to mammals in captivity, reptiles suffer the same outcomes. One prevalent stereotypy in reptiles as Interaction with Transparent Boundaries (ITB) where reptiles appear to repeatedly try to “climb” the glass of their tank, before circling away, then returning over and over again. You can help to end this suffering by rejecting the trade in reptiles as pets.
Browse All Born Free USA x ZooDraws Comics
View the Comic
Share the Comic
Use the sample social media posts for Twitter and Facebook to share the comic on social media!
TWITTER
Stuffed in a box and sent in the mail: this is how small #animals, esp #reptiles, are transported in the #ExoticPet trade. Deaths are common and the fate of survivors is bleak. As this comic by @ZooDraws @BornFreeUSA shows, it’s time to end the cruelty! bit.ly/zoodrawschameleon
FACEBOOK
Stuffed in a box and sent in the mail: this is how many small animals, especially reptiles like chameleons, are transported in the exotic pet trade. Animal deaths are extremely common and the fate of the animals who survive is very bleak. As this comic by ZooDraws and Born Free USA shows, it’s time to end the cruelty! bit.ly/zoodrawschameleon