Otters don't belong at petting cafes

Otter cubs aren't a tourist attraction. Sign Now Dear friends, You've probably heard of cat cafes, and maybe you've even been to one. The idea is pretty simple: visitors get to play with adoptable shelter animals while they get their coffee. It's fun for the cats and can help them find forever homes. That's not what's going on in the latest animal cafe craze in Japan. Instead of domesticated pets, a new cafe keeps chinchillas and otters as playthings for tourists. This is not OK. Otters are wild animals, not pets. They are not domesticated and need space to grow and thrive. They are social creatures who need to be around other otters. But in these cafes, otters can live their lives alone in small enclosures. The constant handling by humans can cause stress. Plus, some animal welfare organizations worry about where exactly these animals come from and where they'll go when they grow too big to be a cuddly attraction anymore. We need to stop perpetuating the irresponsible idea that wild animals exist for our entertainment and that its acceptable to exploit them for profit. There are lots of ways for animal lovers to interact with creatures they hold dear that don't put anyone's safety and health at risk. These "petting bars" are not one of them. Sign the petition to urge Japanese officials to ban wild animal cafes. Thank you,   Emily V. The Care2 Petitions Team