PAN Submits Testimony to CITES

On September 17, the Pet Advocacy Network filed testimony with the U.S. delegation to the 20th Conference of the Parties at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). 

PAN’s testimony opposed proposals to restrict several species of reptiles and arachnids that are kept as pets. PAN noted that these species “are bred in captivity in the United States and elsewhere, and the majority, if not entirety, of international trade is of captive bred specimens not originating in the range states.” Another sweeping proposal would ” allow foreign governments the ability to unilaterally shut down internationally trade and seizure the property of citizens not under their jurisdiction without requiring any evidence of wrongdoing,” PAN warned. 

PAN’s experts also provided live testimony on Sept 10th to the U.S. CITES delegation. Read PAN’s full testimony here.