African servals are increasingly traded as exotic pets and used to produce Savannah hybrid cats, with welfare concerns for both wild-caught animals and hybrid offspring.
Servals kept as pets in inappropriate environments experience chronic stress from inadequate space, inability to express hunting behaviour and social isolation. Wild-caught servals imported for the exotic pet trade experience capture stress and welfare harm throughout the international supply chain. Savannah hybrid cats with high serval percentage retain prey drive and marking behaviour that conflicts with domestic pet life, creating chronic behavioural stress. Legislation restricting serval ownership and hybrid breeding is welfare-protective.