During 1997 a study was carried out on welfare aspects of the exotic animal trade in the Netherlands to provide data for the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture in their preparation of animal health and welfare legislation. The summary and conclusions are available in English translation. In a report which provides some interesting statistics on the scale of the trade and keeping of exotic animals as pets in the Netherlands, it is estimated that about 16 million animals are kept as pets, of which some 11 million are birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. There are 2200 pet shops and through these some 1 million birds, 200 000 reptiles and amphibians, and 200 000 small mammals are sold each year. The majority of these are bred in the Netherlands but there are significant importations of wild-caught marine fish, reptiles and amphibians and birds. Welfare problems were identified at the pre-transport, transport, and subsequent stages of the chain from source to buyer. The report recommends that the selling of wild-caught animals to inexperienced pet owners should cease and suggests ways in which this could be brought about including: increasing the availability of captive-bred animals, making wild-caught animals more expensive (eg by taxing their sale), and making it a requirement that wild-caught animals can be sold only through registered outlets.