Organised by OneKindWe want to end the suffering of wild animals in homes and we need your help. Help animals by putting our “Don’t Pet Me” video in cinemas across Scotland. Your gift will help us reach thousands of people and drive legislative change for animals.
We’re aiming to launch a cinema advertising campaign to reach over 76,000 young adults and families — groups most likely to be influenced by the trend of keeping wild animals as pets. But we can’t move forward until we raise the full amount needed.* We need your help to get this powerful message on the big screen.
In 2023 there was a 250% rise in interest in exotic pets on social media. Our “Don’t Pet Me” video will challenge the misleading social media images that glamorise exotic pet ownership by revealing the real suffering these animals endure.
Our video highlights the welfare issues endured by wild animals kept as pets in homes, and encourages viewers to make important considerations as to whether an animal is suited to their home environment.
Almost any species can be kept as a pet in Scotland. As a result, animals that belong in the wild are regularly kept in home environments. These animals often live in inadequate housing, such as small cages, cannot express natural behaviours, don't have their social needs met, and are fed poor diets. Wild animals kept as pets will likely suffer during each stage of the trade process: capture from the wild or breeding, transport, and finally, captivity in a household.
Together with Born Free and the Scottish SPCA, we're calling for a legal “permitted list” of species suitable for home life, helping to protect wild animals from harm. A permitted list would limit the species that are allowed to be kept privately, saving many wild animals from enduring a life in captivity.
By donating today, you’ll help to raise awareness, encourage people to rethink exotic pet ownership, and push for lasting legislative change in Scotland.
Join us, and make a difference—because wild animals belong in the wild.
Kirsty Jenkins, OneKind's Director of Policy says;
The research we commissioned painted a deeply worrying picture of how species commonly referred to as ‘exotic pets’ are thought of and treated – often as commodities or collections. Such sad stories emerged, of animals being kept in tiny boxes, poor diets, social isolation, forced handling, accidents and deaths. The law is currently failing to protect these animals – that must change.
Challenge misleading portrayals of exotic pets on social media.
Encourage viewers to reconsider keeping wild animals at home.
Direct audiences to our petition, with a goal of securing 15,000 signatures in support of legislative reform.
A British Veterinary Association (BVA) survey showed that 81% of vets thought that welfare needs of exotic pets are not being met, while 92% of vets say the need for a ‘suitable environment’ for exotic pets is often not being met.
To guide our Don’t Pet Me campaign, we commissioned research into the motivations, behaviours and experiences of people who keep wild animals at home, conducted our own monitoring of online sales of ‘exotic pets’ and investigated 13 pet shops in Scotland.
You can read about our findings in our report Don’t Pet Me: The Scale, Scope and Motivations for Keeping Wild Animals as Pets in Scotland.
*If we don’t reach the full fundraising target for the cinema advertising campaign, your donation will still make a meaningful impact. All funds will be redirected to other important areas of the ‘Don’t Pet Me’ campaign, ensuring your support continues to help protect wild animals from a life in captivity.
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