Introduce a ‘permitted list’ of animals that can legally be kept as pets
What we’re campaigning for and how you can help.
What we’re campaigning for
Many wild and exotic animals are kept as pets in Scotland. They are often in environments that fail to meet their complex needs such as poor housing, lack of social interaction, inadequate diets, and limited ability to express natural behaviours result in widespread suffering. We are asking for a permitted list of animals that can legally be kept as pets. The only animals listed will be those who can have their full needs met in a home environment in Scotland.
Why we’re campaigning
At present, access to these animals is too easy, with inconsistent care advice, and a shortage of specialist vets. This often leads to abandonment, repeated rehoming, and unfair pressure on rescue centres. Some species can also pose risks to public health and safety. A permitted list would:
- Prevent animal suffering
- Educate owners
- Reduce pressure on rescues
- Improve public safety
- Provide a clear, enforceable system
It is a practical step towards protecting animals and promoting responsible pet ownership in Scotland.
How we will do this
Establish a taskforce of relevant stakeholders to tackle ease of acquisition, welfare risks and missing or inaccurate information and support creation of the permitted list. Identify and implement demand reduction strategies.
Learning Kindness: Why Animal Welfare in Education Matters
My name’s Lucy, and I’ll never forget the day the Scottish SPCA came to my school. We learned about how animals feel, happiness, fear, pain, just like we do. I didn’t expect it to change how I saw the world, but it did.
Before, I’d never thought much about the rabbits in the garden centre, or the dogs left in cars on hot days. But that day, something clicked. I started noticing more. I started caring more.
The Scottish SPCA’s Animal Guardians programme works with children like me who might be struggling at home or at school. It helps us build empathy and confidence through learning about animals.
I also learned about rabbits, how they’re social, how they need space, company, and the right diet. Too many are bought on impulse and end up abandoned when families realise how much care they need.
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Education changes that. It stops cruelty before it starts. It teaches respect for life and gives young people the tools to act with compassion.
If every child in Scotland learned what we did, fewer animals would need rescuing. Fewer would suffer in silence. And maybe, when we grow up, kindness would be something we all practise instinctively, not something that has to be taught.
That’s why animal welfare education belongs in every school. Because empathy, once learned, lasts a lifetime.
What we’re asking candidates and political parties to do
We invite you to meet with us, hear the evidence behind our proposals, and explore how you can place animal welfare at the centre of your commitments. These are practical, achievable steps that will:
- Reduce animal abuse
- Strengthen enforcement
- Make Scotland safer and fairer for animals and people alike
What we’re asking Scotland to do
Use your voice for Scotland’s animals.
We are asking for Scotland’s support. You can do this by learning more about the issues we’re tackling, showing and sharing your support on social media, and adding your voice to the call for change.
Every conversation matters. Every show of support helps us make the case that animal welfare is not a luxury — it is essential to Scotland’s wellbeing.
Animals count in Scotland — Let’s make them count for something.
Support us from £5 a month
Every £1 helps us rescue, protect and advocate for Scotland’s animals.
