Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future Policies
Mobile zoos are events in which non-domesticated (exotic) and domesticated species are transported to venues such as schools, hospitals, parties, and community centres, for the purposes of education, entertainment, or social and therapeutic assistance. We conducted literature searches and surveyed r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/214 |
| _version_ | 1827629357338722304 |
|---|---|
| author | Clifford Warwick Anthony Pilny Catrina Steedman Tiffani Howell Albert Martínez-Silvestre Vanessa Cadenas Rachel Grant |
| author_facet | Clifford Warwick Anthony Pilny Catrina Steedman Tiffani Howell Albert Martínez-Silvestre Vanessa Cadenas Rachel Grant |
| author_sort | Clifford Warwick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mobile zoos are events in which non-domesticated (exotic) and domesticated species are transported to venues such as schools, hospitals, parties, and community centres, for the purposes of education, entertainment, or social and therapeutic assistance. We conducted literature searches and surveyed related government agencies regarding existing provisions within laws and policies, number of mobile zoos, and formal guidance issued concerning operation of such events in 74 countries or regions. We also examined governmental and non-governmental guidance standards for mobile zoos, as well as websites for mobile zoo operations, assessed promotional or educational materials for scientific accuracy, and recorded the diversity of species in use. We used the EMODE (Easy, Moderate, Difficult, or Extreme) algorithm, to evaluate identified species associated with mobile zoos for their suitability for keeping. We recorded 14 areas of concern regarding animal biology and public health and safety, and 8 areas of false and misleading content in promotional or educational materials. We identified at least 341 species used for mobile zoos. Mobile zoos are largely unregulated, unmonitored, and uncontrolled, and appear to be increasing. Issues regarding poor animal welfare, public health and safety, and education raise several serious concerns. Using the precautionary principle when empirical evidence was not available, we advise that exotic species should not be used for mobile zoos and similar itinerant events. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:49:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a9a02867fe4445988a5b91e313a3e039 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:49:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-a9a02867fe4445988a5b91e313a3e0392023-11-30T20:52:48ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-01-0113221410.3390/ani13020214Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future PoliciesClifford Warwick0Anthony Pilny1Catrina Steedman2Tiffani Howell3Albert Martínez-Silvestre4Vanessa Cadenas5Rachel Grant6Emergent Disease Foundation, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ, UKArizona Exotic Animal Hospital, 2340 E Beardsley Road Ste 100, Phoenix, AZ 85024, USAEmergent Disease Foundation, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ, UKSchool of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, P.O. Box 199, Bendigo, VIC 3552, AustraliaCatalonian Reptiles and Amphibians Rescue Centre (CRARC), 08783 Masquefa, SpainAnimal Protection Biodiversity & Environment Section, Government of Catalonia, 43004 Tarragona, SpainSchool of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, 103 Borough Rd, London SE1 0AA, UKMobile zoos are events in which non-domesticated (exotic) and domesticated species are transported to venues such as schools, hospitals, parties, and community centres, for the purposes of education, entertainment, or social and therapeutic assistance. We conducted literature searches and surveyed related government agencies regarding existing provisions within laws and policies, number of mobile zoos, and formal guidance issued concerning operation of such events in 74 countries or regions. We also examined governmental and non-governmental guidance standards for mobile zoos, as well as websites for mobile zoo operations, assessed promotional or educational materials for scientific accuracy, and recorded the diversity of species in use. We used the EMODE (Easy, Moderate, Difficult, or Extreme) algorithm, to evaluate identified species associated with mobile zoos for their suitability for keeping. We recorded 14 areas of concern regarding animal biology and public health and safety, and 8 areas of false and misleading content in promotional or educational materials. We identified at least 341 species used for mobile zoos. Mobile zoos are largely unregulated, unmonitored, and uncontrolled, and appear to be increasing. Issues regarding poor animal welfare, public health and safety, and education raise several serious concerns. Using the precautionary principle when empirical evidence was not available, we advise that exotic species should not be used for mobile zoos and similar itinerant events.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/214mobile zoosmobile live animal programsanimal assisted interventionsanimal welfarepublic healthsafety |
| spellingShingle | Clifford Warwick Anthony Pilny Catrina Steedman Tiffani Howell Albert Martínez-Silvestre Vanessa Cadenas Rachel Grant Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future Policies Animals mobile zoos mobile live animal programs animal assisted interventions animal welfare public health safety |
| title | Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future Policies |
| title_full | Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future Policies |
| title_fullStr | Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future Policies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future Policies |
| title_short | Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future Policies |
| title_sort | mobile zoos and other itinerant animal handling events current status and recommendations for future policies |
| topic | mobile zoos mobile live animal programs animal assisted interventions animal welfare public health safety |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/214 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cliffordwarwick mobilezoosandotheritinerantanimalhandlingeventscurrentstatusandrecommendationsforfuturepolicies AT anthonypilny mobilezoosandotheritinerantanimalhandlingeventscurrentstatusandrecommendationsforfuturepolicies AT catrinasteedman mobilezoosandotheritinerantanimalhandlingeventscurrentstatusandrecommendationsforfuturepolicies AT tiffanihowell mobilezoosandotheritinerantanimalhandlingeventscurrentstatusandrecommendationsforfuturepolicies AT albertmartinezsilvestre mobilezoosandotheritinerantanimalhandlingeventscurrentstatusandrecommendationsforfuturepolicies AT vanessacadenas mobilezoosandotheritinerantanimalhandlingeventscurrentstatusandrecommendationsforfuturepolicies AT rachelgrant mobilezoosandotheritinerantanimalhandlingeventscurrentstatusandrecommendationsforfuturepolicies |