In a world-first, 195 animal welfare organisations have come together to ask the UK Government to protect UK consumers and civets from civet coffee tourism.
Civet coffee, known as the most expensive coffee in the world, is produced through the digestive system of civets, small carnivores from Southeast Asia. Picked from the poop of these nocturnal animals, civet coffee is prized for its novel production method and unique taste. However, animal campaigners and researchers have consistently raised concerns following evidence of civet cruelty and the environmental and public health risks associated with civet coffee production.
Civet coffee is most commonly made through the battery-style caging of wild-caught civets, a practice which is now widespread throughout southeast Asia. Although civet coffee is available to buy on the international coffee market, tourism is a significant driver of civet capture and commercial farming.
Civets held in farms suffer in barren cages, where they are forced to sleep and stand on wire mesh without privacy, bedding, or enrichment. Coffee producing civets are fed high quantities of coffee, which results in caffeine toxicity and premature death. Stereotypic behaviour including pacing and self-mutilation are commonly reported for civets in commercial civet farms, which exist to supply the demands of tourism, Conditions are not dissimilar in tourism attractions, yet research also indicates that civets housed in tourism facilities can be subjected to drugging so that tourists can safely pose with them for photographs.
In the summer of 2024, The Civet Project Foundation released the award-winning documentary 'From Rare to Reckless' which investigated the animal welfare, conservation, and human health impacts of civet coffee tourism. Following the film, their team of researchers launched a targeted investigation of world leading travel providers and the marketing of civet coffee tourism experiences. Alarmingly, the study revealed that despite 9 out of 10 world leading travel companies claiming to have animal welfare policies, all were selling civet coffee experiences on their platforms. Details of their findings can be read in their 'Industry Leaders Report 'Tackling the Civet Coffee Tourism Industry'.
Thanks to the work of The Civet Project Foundation, leading travel organisations, Tripadvisor, AirBnB, Viator, Klook and Booking.com have all removed civet coffee attractions from their platform. This is a milestone win for civet welfare and conservation. It is the first time in civet coffee's long history, that the tourism industry has recognised its role in civet exploitation.
Yet The Civet Project is not stopping there. With the help of the Asia for Animal Coalition, the largest network of it's kind in the world, an appeal letter has been sent to the UK Government urging them to include civet coffee experiences in the new Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act. Signed by an impressive 195 animal welfare organisations, it is hoped the letter will result in the legal prohibition of the marketing and sale of civet coffee experiences to UK consumers.
Dr Jes Hooper, the founder of the Civet Project Foundation, explained:
"The AfA appeal letter is not to be understated. This is the first time in history that so many animal welfare experts have united for the civet's cause. The evidence is conclusive that civet welfare cannot be met in civet coffee farms or tourist experiences, and we are delighted to see the overwhelming support for our call to the UK government to include civet coffee tourism in the latest animal welfare legislation. This would not only protect civets from harm, but it would also protect the interests of consumers who are frequently misled by tourism operators who sell civet coffee experiences without animal welfare warnings"
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