Servals still sold online despite exotic animal ban

There are still "a handful" of servals for sale on second-hand trading site Marktplaats despite a ban on trading the animals, The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals reported. Since July 1, the feline may no longer be kept as a pet or be bred or traded. This also applies to animals such as chinchillas and degus. Owners who already have such an animal may keep it until the animal dies.

The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals has not yet had any success reporting the advertisements for the servals. The organization assumes that the online sales platform is unaware of the sales ban. Next week, the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals will determine whether animals are being sold illegally in other places and will then determine what the appropriate steps are to prevent this.

Two servals escaped from Helmond and Lexmond last week. The animal from Lexmond was found, but the owner did not want the serval back. The Foundation for Animal Advocacy and Protection (Stichting AAP) did not have a spot for the serval at first, and due to the new ban, no new owner was allowed to be found for the animal.

This led to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) deciding that the animal should be given the needle. The Dierenambulance protested this decision. The Animal Advocacy and Protection Foundation was able to find a spot for the animal, which will now likely be brought to a European zoo.

Following the incident, the RVO, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, DierenLot, and the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals met on Thursday.

During this meeting, the animal organizations advocated for a shelter for animals that are no longer allowed to be kept but still end up without an owner, for example, due to the owner's death. Currently, these animals can almost only be accommodated at Stichting AAP, and there is limited space there. That is why The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals believes something needs to be arranged for the animals: "We believe that the government should play a role in this, also financially."