Regardless of whether we buy a wild animal from a pet shop or legally bring it to Poland, we are required to enter it in the county register. After purchasing an animal, we must first take it to the county veterinary inspector and then to the county office to register it.
According to documentation kept by the environmental protection department, parrots are the animals we most often choose to buy. Since 2003, 28 of them have been registered. The next most popular animals are lizards, including iguanas and chameleons. Turtles and snakes are also very popular, ranking just after lizards; among the latter, pythons and boas are the most common.
According to office employees, the animals registered so far were legally purchased in Poland from pet shops. Importing wild animals into the country without the appropriate permits is illegal. Most often, wild animals are not brought in from exotic countries; instead, they are born in Poland in specialized breeding facilities.
(Lubin County/ii)