Cheetahs Don't Belong On A Leash. Ban The Cheetah Trade Today

Cheetahs are coveted as exotic pets...This vulnerable big cat shouldn't be used as a status symbol.

The cheetah faces multiple threats to its survival. Habitat loss has reduced the cheetah's historic range by over 80 percent. Climate change has begun to affect reproduction. Human-wildlife conflict leads to killing cheetahs that, in desperation, prey on livestock.

But one of the most immediate threats may come as a surprise. Due to their beauty and swiftness, the cheetah has become a coveted pet for wealthy people who choose to flaunt it as a status symbol.

These cats are brutally captured - often as cubs - and transported in abysmal conditions to places where they are auctioned off to the highest bidder. Then they face an unnatural existence in cages and chains and are frequently abandoned when they become adults — a virtual death warrant.

The United Arab Emirates — a country where the cheetah has been highly sought after — stepped up to put an end to the pet trade and set harsh penalties for owning or trading cheetahs. However, despite the hefty fines and potential jail time, the underground pet trade persists in the UAE and other states in the Gulf region have yet to pass similar regulations. Due to the dwindling size of cheetah subpopulations, even a low level of illegal trade can threaten wild populations.

Sign the petition today to urge other countries to ban the cheetah trade today.