Our Chairman received excellent news following confirmation that the PAAG Secretariat Team and Chair of the Exotics Working Group have formally endorsed the REPTA Deleterious Genes Policy. Furthermore, PAAG has committed to incorporating the policy into its guidance for online pet advertising platforms.
This represents a significant step forward for the policy and creates a third major restriction on routes to market for animals affected by the scheduled phenotypes. In combination with the REPTA business membership network and the adoption of the policy within breeder meeting rules by the International Herpetological Society, the inclusion of the policy within guidance used by online platforms such as Gumtree, Preloved and Pets4Homes will further reduce opportunities for the proliferation of affected animals.
When REPTA was restructured in 2023, we recognised the management of deleterious genes as a critical welfare issue facing modern herpetoculture. The importance of preventing the continued spread of phenotypes associated with compromised welfare was immediately apparent, and we are delighted to see the policy receiving such strong support from across the sector.
Perhaps most encouragingly, the Deleterious Genes Policy has helped bring together stakeholders who have not always shared the same perspective on reptile keeping. Veterinary organisations, educational bodies, keeper groups, trade representatives and advocacy organisations have all found common ground in recognising the policy’s potential to improve welfare outcomes within captive reptile collections.
While opinions may differ on many aspects of herpetoculture, there is an increasingly broad consensus that phenotypes associated with poor welfare should not be allowed to proliferate. Equally important is the need to educate keepers and breeders on responsible breeding practices, enabling informed decisions about which traits can be managed responsibly and which should be avoided altogether.
REPTA would like to thank PAAG, its Secretariat Team and the Exotics Working Group for their confidence in the policy and for their commitment to supporting improved welfare standards across the reptile sector.