Reducing Demand For Pet Snacks Made From Sharks

Project Leader

WildAid conservation team members collaborating on marine wildlife protection and ocean conservation initiatives

Dr. Petch Manopawitr and team

Investigating the rising trend of shark-based pet snacks in Thailand’s fast-growing pet market, where numerous products made from shark parts are sold as nutritious treats. The project includes DNA testing, contamination analysis, and consumer behavior surveys to inform campaigns aimed at reducing demand and protecting shark populations.

Partnership

WildAid Thailand

Year

2024 - 2025

Location

Thailand

Emerging trend in pet snacks made from sharks

ver the past few years, WildAid has observed an emerging trend in Thailand for pet snacks advertised as “made from sharks.” Our initial online market investigation in January 2024 found as many as 100 online vendors selling these products to supply the market for Thailand’s booming pet industry. We found more than 10 different types of dog and cat treats and dental snacks advertised to be dried shark cartilage, dried shark fin, dried whole sharks, dried shark jerky, dried shark meat, etc. Vendors claim these products contain high protein, calcium, and nutrients needed for dogs and cats.
Although these snacks may be by-products from fisheries activity, they create a whole new market that undermines efforts to position sharks as a flagship species for marine conservation.

WildAid marine researcher conducting shark DNA analysis for species identification and conservation monitoring in endangered shark population study

PROJECT LEADER

Dr. Petch Manopawitr and team

The team is led by Dr. Petch Manopawitr, a conservation scientist with over 25 years of experience in the fields of biodiversity conservation, protected area management and science on sustainability, and Nuthatai ‘Nuch’ Chotechuang, Thailand Program Director, who brings over a decade of expertise in mass media communications and leading demand reduction campaigns for
unsustainable wildlife products.
Given Thailand’s role as a significant market for shark fin and the general lack of awareness about the threats facing sharks, since 2017, WildAid’s Thailand team has launched multiple communications campaign to address these challenges and encourage existing and potential shark fin consumers to change their consumption behavior. These efforts have significantly contributed
to the reduction in shark fin consumption seen between 2017 and 2023 and continue to make an impact.

Research and Conservation Efforts

To address this issue, WildAid is collaborating with research institutions to conduct DNA-based species identification of shark cartilage and dried shark products found in pet snacks. This research assesses species composition, proportions, IUCN Red List status, and heavy metal contamination levels. Additionally, a survey has been carried out to understand pet owners’ perceptions and purchasing behaviors. These findings will guide WildAid’s campaign strategy to engage pet owners and provide actionable recommendations to relevant authorities. As Thailand’s pet industry rapidly expands, WildAid remains committed to reducing unnecessary demand for shark-based products through awareness campaigns and behavior change initiatives. Our objectives include:
• Shifting perceptions: Changing pet owners’ beliefs about the purported nutritional benefits of shark-based products.
• Educating consumers: Highlighting sharks’ critical role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems and the damaging consequences of supporting shark-based products.
By tackling this issue, WildAid aims to protect shark populations and promote sustainable consumption practices within the pet industry and wider society.

Marine conservation educator at pet expo promoting sustainable pet products and raising awareness about shark protection through responsible consumer choices

Our Other Projects

Check out our other contribution to help our ocean

Scuba diver swimming through school of barracuda fish during leopard shark research in Derawan Islands Indonesia

Acoustic Tracking of Endangered Indo-Pacific Leopard Shark in Derawan Islands

Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia

This project is the first acoustic tracking study of Indo-Pacific Leopard Sharks in the Derawan Islands. By monitoring shark movements…

Endangered hawksbill sea turtle swimming in clear blue ocean water during conservation monitoring in Ecuador

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Research and Conservation in Ecuador

Equilibrio Azul

Once thought extinct in the Eastern Pacific, hawksbill turtles are making a comeback in Ecuador. Through research, community work, and…

Whale shark swimming at ocean surface with distinctive spotted pattern during conservation research in Gulf of Thailand

Satellite tagging of whale sharks and how results can benefit future conservation efforts in Thailand

Thai Whale Shark

The Thai Whale Shark Project, founded in 2017, has identified over 400 individual whale sharks in Thai waters, making Thailand…

Underwater photographer capturing giant manta ray swimming in Northern Peru Pacific Ocean during conservation research

Conservation of giant Manta Rays in Northern Peru

Planeta Oceano

The giant manta ray (Mobula birostris) is an endangered species increasingly threatened by bycatch in northern Peru’s small-scale fisheries. This…

Marine conservation research vessel on ocean waters conducting environmental survey for wildlife protection and sustainable fishing monitoring

Star Project Thailand

WildAid

Reshark

The Stegostoma tigrinum Augmentation and Recovery Project (StAR) is a collaborative conservation effort aimed at restoring healthy populations of Indo-Pacific…