The RSPCA issued a warning about capybaras cafés, advising “bites from the world's largest rodent can cause serious injuries” and they carry diseases which can be passed to humans.
This warning comes after plans for the opening of the UK’s first capybara café in Norfolk were announced in July.
Mother of two and full-time carer to her disabled and autistic children, Jemma Aldridge, plans to open the café which will house two capybaras in Toftwood by the end of 2025.
The RSPCA said: “Even though capybaras might seem calm and friendly, they are wild animals.
“They have very sharp teeth that never stop growing, and if they feel trapped or attacked, they may bite.
“A busy café environment, with all its noises and new people, can be very stressful for these animals.
“This stress could easily make them feel they need to defend themselves, especially if they can't easily get away from people.”
The RSPCA warned that capybaras carry many zoonotic diseases – diseases which can spread from animals to humans – including over 20 different types of bacteria, viruses and parasites.
The animal charity said while most of the diseases are common in capybara’s natural homes in South America, it is “still worrying that capybaras can carry so many different infections, including new or undiscovered ones.”
The RSPCA said capybaras are wild animals and are not naturally suited to living in human environments, especially a café which is far from their ideal habitat and living conditions.
Capybara natural habitats are warm and tropical, which means the large rodents are not suited to the cooler weather of English winter.
They are also "crepuscular," meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk and rest during the day. Cafe opening hours would force them to be active when they naturally want to rest, which may cause stress to the animals.
Capybaras need grassy areas for grazing and are semi-aquatic, meaning they need constant access to a large, deep body of water to control their body temperature, play and feel safe.
International animal welfare organisation, Wild Welfare, advises that captive capybaras need "privacy from humans but opportunities to socialise with other capybara"- which is at odds with a busy cafe.
The RSPCA said: “Any setting, such as a café, petting zoo, or retail/leisure centre, where capybaras are kept in an artificial environment raises serious animal welfare concerns, as capybaras are wild animals whose complex needs cannot be met in a commercial entertainment setting.
“Any venue in which the public has close contact with captive animals poses unacceptable risks to people's health and safety due to potential bites and the spread of serious diseases.”
