Cheetahs are targeted by the illegal wildlife trade for the exotic pet market, causing immense individual suffering and contributing to the decline of an already vulnerable species.
The illegal pet trade in cheetahs causes severe suffering at every stage. Cubs are stolen from their mothers, often when only days or weeks old, and transported in cramped, stressful conditions with high mortality. Those that survive face lives in inappropriate captivity — too confined, improperly fed, and deprived of the space and social complexity they need. Every cheetah cub in an illegal pet collection represents multiple deaths in the pipeline and the likely collapse of a wild family group. Reducing demand and strengthening enforcement are both essential.