Are Pet Cafés Ethical? What You Should Know Before Visiting One

Pet cafés might seem like the perfect stop for animal lovers. A place to sip coffee while cuddling with a cat or dog. I used to think so, too.

That changed the moment I peeked inside a pet café in Seoul. I saw a street advertisement that pointed to a meerkat cafe inside a nearby building. Intrigued by such concept, I followed the sign. I stopped at the door and curiously peeked from the outside. The space was a single room with basic furniture, some plastic vines for decoration and a few cat towers and a couple of cages. Confused and in disbelief, I turned around and left.

A few months later, I visited an owl café in Japan that considered itself ethical because the animals were rescued from owners and other animal cafes who could no longer takecare of them. But even there, animals were surrounded by too many people in a cramped space with little oversight.

I have also seen countless photos and videos of cafés that keep all kinds of wild animals, often marketed as fun “interactive experiences” for tourists. The more I learned, the more uncomfortable I became. As I began researching further, I realised I wasn’t alone in my discomfort. Conservationists and animal welfare organisations have started raising alarms about these cafés and their impact on exotic animals, particularly in Japan and Southeast Asia.

As a conscious traveller, I believe we owe it to the animals, and to ourselves, to question experiences like these. This post is not here to shame. It is here to inform. I will walk you through what pet cafés really are, why they have become so popular in places like Japan and Korea, and what is often hidden behind the cute exterior. I will also show you how to make more ethical choices if you want to interact with animals while travelling.

What Are Pet Cafés Really Like?

Why are pet cafes so popular in Asia?

So why are pet cafés so common in Asia — especially in places like Japan and Korea?

According to various sources, it often comes down to the human desire to connect with animals, even when owning a pet isn’t possible. In cities where rent is high, apartments are small, and landlords often ban animals, owning a cat or dog can feel out of reach. Add in the cost of pet food, veterinary care, and the time commitment, and many people are left looking for alternatives.

Pet cafés fill that gap. They offer a low-commitment, short-term version of companionship, a way to play with a dog or cuddle a cat for an hour. There’s even research that shows interacting with animals can reduce stress and improve mood. This idea, often referred to as the “pet effect,” makes these cafés sound like a win-win: people feel good, and the animals get attention.

But as these cafés became more popular, the business side took over. Not all pet cafés are created equal. With popularity came competition, and with competition came questionable practices. Some cafés genuinely care for the animals. Others see them as a novelty to attract customers with little regard for animal welfare.

I like to believe there are people out there trying to do the right thing, and I’ve met some of them. I’ve seen cafés run by people who genuinely care, who try to provide a better life for rescued animals. I’d probably do the same if I had the chance. And if you’re reading this, I believe you would too.

Are Pet Cafés Ethical? Reasons to Avoid Them

Pet Cafés Harm Animal Welfare

Oftentimes, animal cafes showcase wild animals in cages, chained up or in a reduced space where they cannot move freely. Some other times, animals like hedgehogs will be offered to be handled over and over by pet cafe visitors. Sometimes people will tease the animals with food (I saw it with a capybara and a little primate at an owl cafe in Tokyo), removing the food from the animal’s reach as they are about to get hold of it. All these actions put unnecessary stress on the animals and can have health effects in the long run.

Animal Cafés Indirectly Support Animal Trade

I’ve seen cafés that house meerkats, owls, capybaras, and even flamingos. Some places say the animals are rescues. Others simply don’t explain where the animals come from. But when we see exotic animals living in cramped spaces, treated like props for tourist entertainment, we must ask ourselves, how did they get here?

According to a 2021 study published in Conservation Letters: Exotic animal cafes are increasingly home to threatened biodiversity, the popularity of exotic animal cafés can contribute to increased demand for wildlife as pets, leading to unsustainable and often illegal trade. The study found that visibility of certain species in cafés can create a feedback loop in which we, as consumers, play a vital role. The more we see these animals used in entertainment, the more people want to own them, and the more traders supply them, legally or not.

Even if a café claims to have sourced its animals responsibly, the business model still sends the same message: it’s okay to keep wild animals in captivity for human amusement. That alone heavily contributes to the normalisation of wildlife commodification, which contradicts any meaningful notion of animal welfare.

Health and Safety Risks for Visitors

While animal welfare is the core concern, we rarely talk about the health implications these cafés pose for people.

Pet cafés — especially those with exotic animals — create conditions that can be risky for both animals and guests. Despite posted instructions, visitors handle animals with no guidance, no sanitation in between, and often no staff oversight. In some cafés, food is consumed in the same space where animals roam, defecate, and interact with strangers all day long.

Zoonotic disease — diseases that jump from animals to humans — is a real concern. According to the World Health Organisation, over 60% of known infectious diseases and 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic. Close, unsupervised contact with wild or stressed animals increases that risk significantly.

Add to that the lack of regulation in many countries, and you get businesses operating in legal grey zones, prioritising novelty over hygiene.

When might it be ethical to visit a pet cafe?

There are a few rare cases where animal cafés operate with genuine care and purpose. The difference is that these spaces are created for the animals, not as entertainment for humans.

In Japan, I came across cafés that shared stories of rescuing abandoned pets or working in partnership with local NGOs. I’ve also visited cat cafés in Mexico City that collaborate with shelters to help find permanent homes for their cats. These are not perfect solutions, but they show that some businesses are trying to do better.

If you’re ever unsure, ask yourself these questions before stepping inside. And if a café cannot provide clear, humane answers to these questions, then it is not a place that puts animals first.

Ethical Alternatives to Visiting Pet Cafés

If you are an animal lover and would like to participate in an ethical animal experience, you need to research the country you intend to visit. No shortcut here. Below is a list of basic ideas to plant the seed and get you started.

Visiting reputable animal sanctuaries and parks

Some easy options that are safer and less stressful for animals are visiting open parks or hiking in the countryside, where you can spot animals in their natural habitat. For example, in Japan, you can visit the deer park in Nara, where these cute animals are protected and well taken care of.

Another great option is visiting an animal rescue or rehabilitation centre. In the Florida Keys, I visited a turtle hospital where they care for injured marine turtles. The visit was educational, focused on conservation and animal well-being. There was no handling or forced interaction — just a respectful space to learn and observe. This kind of setup puts the animals’ needs first while still offering a meaningful experience for visitors.

Volunteer at shelters while travelling

Depending on the amount of time that you are going to spend in an area, you can find a place that actually needs help. Some animal shelters offer walks with their dogs to give them a chance to get out of the premises. I visited a dog shelter in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and spent time walking one of their dogs around the property. It was a small gesture, but it felt like a meaningful way to give back.

You can also find ethical cafés or foster spaces that double as adoption centres. The cat cafés in Mexico City, for example, collaborate with local shelters and exist not to entertain tourists, but to find these animals permanent homes. Even if you only do a short four day trip to Mexico City you still have time to squeeze in a visit to one of them.

Skip animal encounters altogether

Let’s leave animals to do their thing. I am sure you will not ruin your trip if you do not see a caged animal or handle a hedgehog. Japan, big in animal cafés but also a fascinating country to visit, has many cool things to do that don’t involve compromising animal welfare. There are themed cafés that focus on cosplay, or even vintage video games. Akihabara, known as the arcade district, is a great place to people-watch or try something new.

Same with Korea — if you have one week in Korea, an animal café should not be on your list of priorities.

Final Thoughts on Pet Cafés and Ethical Travel

If someone who hasn’t read this post came and asked me if they should visit a pet café, my answer would be no. However, if you are willing to do your research and find an awesome ethical place whose main purpose is to take care of animals, by all means, let me know in the comments.

Traveling consciously doesn’t mean giving up joy or curiosity; it means asking better questions. And when animals are involved, those questions matter even more.