In South Korea, patrons of animal and pet cafes have become less frequent, AFP reported, stating that visitors and locals are opting to stay away amid fears of contracting COVID-19 from domestic pets and wildlife.
The news agency reported that one cat cafe was empty, as was another, called the Eden Meerkat Friends Cafe, which has meerkats, wallabies and raccoons.
Animal cafes are very popular in and around Asia, and South Korea is no exception. The trend has been around since the 2000s, and gained popularity among people who love animals, can’t own their own pets or simply enjoy the company. The novelty aside, interacting with animals is known to bring about feelings of relaxation and helps people de-stress.
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While some may question the ethics of these enterprises – whether the animals are looked after, have enough space to roam and play, and are treated well – most people wouldn’t have a problem with a cute cat or dog cafe, especially ones which look after strays and rescues.
There is a big difference between cute coffee shops with domesticated pets, however, and ones which attract the masses, including foreign tourists, with exotic animals that aren’t in their natural habitats and social environments, never mind indigenous to the continent. Many cafes have raccoons, otters, different types of reptiles like iguanas, owls and pigs which visitors may pet and feed.
However these wild animals may find their way to these cafes, what’s problematic is that they’ll owners will be expected to keep rearing or acquiring more to keep up with demands or as animals perish. This isn’t favourable for the animals and creates a demand in the exotic animal trade as well.
It may not be some seedy exotic animal market but you might understand why folks are keeping their distance. The illegal wildlife trade in exotic animals is one of the major topics in the spotlight during the ongoing global crisis concerning the coronavirus. This has led to increased awareness of the trade and has affected numerous bans and more stringent regulations on wildlife trading and consumption in countries where it is commonplace.
Here you can see some of the animals you can find at these cafes:
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