Ricky Gervais and Dame Judi Dench are among the celebrities who have signed an open letter pleading with Prime Minister Boris Johnson to end the exotic pet trade. After Life actor Ricky and Skyfall actress Dame Judi have teamed up with the World of Animal Protection and the Campaign to End Wildlife Trade (CEWT) to urge the prime minister to crackdown on the industry.
Together, they say animals are being taken from the wild or farmed in cruel conditions to meet the consumer demand for exotic pets, traditional Chinese medicine and tourism.
This demand is said to be a primary cause of the emergence and spread of diseases including Covid-19. Alesha Dixon, Leona Lewis, Sue Perkins, Evanna Lynch, Alison Steadman, Liz Bonnin, Simon Reeve, Paul.
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