Asian small-clawed otters are kept as pets and in aquarium attractions throughout Asia, despite being highly social, active animals whose needs are fundamentally incompatible with typical captive conditions.
Otters in pet or cafe settings lack the environmental complexity, social group structure, and activity space their behavioral needs require. Wild-caught individuals suffer additional trauma from capture and transport. The otter cafe trend has created substantial demand that is supplied through wildlife trafficking, causing welfare harm at every stage from capture to display. Even well-intentioned otter owners cannot provide adequate conditions for these specialized animals.