Closed petition Require Licenses to Keep Chameleons

Closed on 16 June 2021

We wish for the government to regulate chameleons by requiring all owners to obtain a license, like some other exotic animals in the UK do. At the moment, anyone can walk into a pet store and buy one, but studies show that 3 in 10 chameleons will die within their first year of being brought home.

This is because chameleons are one of the more difficult reptiles to keep in captivity, as even a small mistake in their care can result in them being very ill or die. This is concerning because in the wild 36% of species are threatened with extinction, with the main reason being habitat loss, followed by poaching for the global pet trade. We feel introducing licenses will reduce impulse buyers, reduce chameleons dying prematurely in captivity, and decrease the illegal trade of wild chameleons.