DEL MAR, Calif. (March 31, 2026) — Following a highly visible weekend protest featuring giant inflatable reptiles, In Defense of Animals, Rescue Not Retail and local advocates have released new undercover footage exposing the bleak reality inside the Del Mar Pet & Reptile Expo. The organizers are urging the Del Mar Fairgrounds to end animal sales at these events.

While activists demonstrated outside to catch the attention of passing drivers with a giant alligator prop affectionately named “Big Al,” investigators inside the expo hall documented heartbreaking scenes. Investigators found sensitive creatures trapped in tiny plastic containers, and a baby alligator was kept on bare display. Undercover video also captured the stressful environment animals endured as exhibitors hurriedly packed up at the close of the show.

The public pressure appears to be working. During the event, activists spoke with an expo operator who indicated they had recently received a notice from the Del Mar Fair Board of Directors regarding the events, signaling a potential policy shift that advocates are eager to confirm.

“Our outreach raised awareness about the plight of reptiles in these exhibits and sales,” said Jane Cartmill, a local activist who organized the demonstration. “‘Big Al and our inflatable turtle caused drivers to look and read our messages. We hope this protest captured the attention of the Del Mar Fair Board of Directors, persuading them to stop hosting these cruel and environmentally damaging events.”

Rescue Not Retail, an organization raising awareness about the exotic pet trade crisis, collaborated to promote and organize the outreach.

“We helped to organize this vital outreach because the message is urgent: animals are suffering,” said Justine Block of Rescue Not Retail. “Reptiles, amphibians, spiders and other animals sold at reptile expos are generally not protected under federal animal welfare laws, and these expos lack transparency as to whether animals are captured from wild populations. We urge Governor Gavin Newsom and the Del Mar Fairgrounds management to ensure that state-owned fairgrounds are not hosting marketplaces for animals bred in overcrowded, unhealthy conditions, and instead encourage the public to adopt animals from overwhelmed local shelters and rescue organizations.”

The cruelty tied to reptile expos is well documented statewide. Following a January 2025 Pomona Fairplex reptile show, a whistleblower released video and photos to Rescue Not Retail showing that a vendor discarded animals in trash bags, with many dead and others still struggling to survive.

The organizations highlight that exotic pet expos carry serious public health and environmental consequences. Reptiles and amphibians are known vectors for zoonotic diseases, including Salmonella. Packing thousands of stressed animals and attendees into a crowded expo hall creates a dangerous environment for disease transmission, putting attendees at serious risk of illness — especially children, who are often encouraged to handle the animals.

“Del Mar Fairgrounds should not host a marketplace that sells living beings as merchandise,” said Lisa Levinson, campaigns director for In Defense of Animals. “Reptiles and other small animals are transported long distances, confined in tiny containers, exposed to noise and constant disturbance, and sold with little regard for their complex needs or lifelong well-being. A public venue that claims to value responsibility to the environment should not support this cruel and destructive industry.”

The exotic animal trade contributes to severe biodiversity loss. More than 30% of animals imported into the United States for the pet trade are captured from the wild, weakening natural populations and disrupting local ecosystems. When unwanted exotic animals are abandoned outdoors, they can establish populations considered as “invasive species” which threaten native wildlife and habitats in California.

Welfare issues caused by the exotic animal trade are rife. Immense suffering is caused while normalizing impulse purchases of animals whose needs many buyers are unprepared to meet. Reptiles, amphibians, and other exotic animals often endure chronic stress, neglect, illness, abandonment, and premature death. Even the most elaborate captive setups fail to replicate the complex ecosystems these animals depend on in the wild.

Instead of hosting events that profit from the sale of exotic animals, activists have urged the Del Mar Fairgrounds management to fully embrace compassionate alternatives, including adoption of reptiles and other exotic animals already in need of homes through shelters and rescues.

Nearly 1,400 people have written to urge the 22nd District Agricultural Association Board of Directors of Del Mar Fairgrounds and Gov. Newsom to end the sale of animals at these shows, and instead encourage adoptions.

Members of the public are encouraged to take action here: https://www.idausa.org/campaign/animal-companions/latest/california-residents-tell-del-mar-fairgrounds-to-end-cruel-exotic-animal-expos

### NOTES ###

Undercover Video: https://youtube.com/shorts/SZgLHAjdS4c

New Images: https://bit.ly/DelMarReptile26

CONTACTS: 

Lisa Levinson, lisa@idausa.org, (215) 620-2130
Jane Cartmill, janecartmill@gmail.com, (619) 977-7056
Justine Block, justine@rescuenotretail-us.org, (310) 927-4341

In Defense of Animals is an international animal rescue and protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a history of defending animals, the environment, and their guardians through education and campaigns, as well as hands-on rescue facilities in India, South Korea, rural Mississippi, and California, since 1983. www.idausa.org

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