Due to the beauty and intrigue of wild animals, many people are drawn to attractions that offer the opportunity to take photos with captive animals. Due to the world’s obsession with taking selfies, the wildlife selfie industry is incredibly profitable for those who keep the animals. However, what most people fail to realize is that these animals have no desire to be used as selfie props. In order to make animals comply with unnatural demands, they are either kidnapped from the wild and beaten into submission or bred in captivity and kidnapped from their mothers at birth so they can be handled and fed by humans. Additionally, being handled by tourist after tourist exposes these precious animals to a vast array of germs and diseases.

A petition on Care2 written by World Animal Protection states that there are tens of thousands of selfies on Instagram that feature wild animals, and with every post, followers want to join the trend and take one of their own. But taking selfies with captive wild animals is anything but cute, and it is time the greater public became aware of the issue.

World Animal Protection is asking each and every one of us to take the pledge to never take photos with captive wild animals. Please take a moment to join this cruelty-free pledge and sign your name here.

For the dos and don’ts of animal selfies, read this. And please help spread awareness of this incredibly serious issue by sharing this with your network and encouraging people to take the cruelty-free selfie pledge.

Image Source: World Animal Protection