Wild animals imported for the pet trade face welfare costs at every stage from capture through transit, with import welfare standards determining whether surviving animals arrive in adequate condition for rehabilitation or sale.
Pet trade import welfare encompasses the entire capture-transport-sale chain. Animals experience acute stress from capture in wild habitats, crowding in transit, and exposure to unfamiliar conditions throughout the journey. Regulatory standards create a welfare floor but not a ceiling — importers who invest in better handling, shorter journeys, and appropriate conditioning reduce welfare costs substantially above the floor. Consumer choice at the point of sale creates market pressure that propagates back through the chain.