Mustelids including otters and ferrets have specialized behavioral needs that create welfare challenges in captive settings, with ferrets commonly kept as pets and otters facing a growing exotic pet trade.
The exotic pet trade in otters causes direct welfare harm at capture - young otters are taken from mothers who are often killed, and juveniles face transport stress, dietary inadequacy, and inappropriate social environments. Even otters raised in captivity face welfare compromise from inability to swim, dive, and engage in complex foraging behavior. Domestic ferrets, while long domesticated, retain strong predatory drives and activity needs that barren enclosures cannot meet. Species-appropriate environments for mustelids require substantial space, water access, and social housing.