JAKARTA POST (Indonesia) 23 August 07 Registering exotic pets unnecessary, traders say
Jakarta: Despite recent talk of a draft revision to a public order bylaw that would require the owners of wild animals to register them, pet traders insist the step is unnecessary.
"We get most of the animals we sell here from local breeders, so unless they are destined for export, acquiring a certificate isn't necessary," reptile vendor Prihatin "Tutut" Deha, 36, said Wednesday.
Tutut, who sells turtles, dessert lizards and snakes -- including venomous vipers -- at a roadside pet market on Jl. Barito in South Jakarta, acknowledged no license was required to sell or own exotic animals acquired from breeding farms or from the wild, even if the animals in question were originally imported.
"There are many breeding farms across Java, like in Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, which have already bred large African monitor lizards, Australian horn vipers and Papuan turtles locally. None of the `wild animals' sold here are really from the wild," said Tutut, whose net revenue ranges from Rp 3 million (about US$ 318.47) to Rp 10 million a month.
He added that customers were afraid of ordering animals straight from the wild as they were not only untamed and unpredictable, but also expensive, especially as a capture warrant and travel permit from the Forestry Ministry was needed.
"Processing the papers for both buyers and sellers can chalk up about Rp 5 million for an animal, such as Sumatran sun turtles and Sumatran vipers, which would cost Rp 1 million in the market at tops," Tutut said.
"It is also tricky to transfer such animals as they are easily distressed and often die during relocation, so customers would normally think twice before placing such an order."
On Tuesday, the city administration announced it has drafted a public order bylaw revision that would require residents to register their domesticated wild animals.
The administration introduced similar registration rules for pet bird owners in the wake of the bird flu outbreak in January.
Another vendor at the pet market, Pepey, 27, said customers only requested certificates when purchasing dogs to identify the breed.
"Since many dogs are mongrels, some customers pay extra to determine the exact origin of their dogs. The papers can be attained from Perkin (Jaya)," he said, referring to the Indonesian Genealogy Association.
Pepey, who sells hamsters, cats and birds, also added that Jakartans liked to follow the trend, which was currently not for wild animals.
"Hamsters have always been children's favorite, but rabbits seem to be preferred by many recently. As for wild animals, if you're talking about reptiles, then turtles are in," he said.
Registering exotic pets unnecessary, traders say