Terrafile: future-proof your animals

Nobody likes doing paperwork, but for reptile and amphibian keepers in Europe, administration is a fact of life. European keepers are expected to have records that prove their non-native animals were acquired legally, with many countries also requiring keepers to register their animals with the local authority and keep records if they are sold or change hands.

Information such as the animal’s source, the identity of parent animals, the date and location of their animal’s birth, along with identification credentials such as CITES and microchip details, must all be recorded and presented to authorities when requested. The exact requirements differ depending on which European country you’re in, but the administrative burden is invariably significant.

Failing to adhere to the correct procedure can have serious consequences. Following a warning for non-compliance, keepers may face paying a fine and having their animals confiscated or seized permanently. It’s a great concern for many pet keepers, breeders and store owners.

That’s why Marcel van Est created Terrafile, a digital record-keeping platform that helps keepers comply with the legally-required administration about their animals. Terrafile’s online records are accessible wherever and whenever the keeper might need to access this information, on a PC, tablet or smartphone.

What is CITES?

CITES stands for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

CITES is an agreement among countries to protect animals and plants that are in danger of becoming extinct. It makes sure these animals and plants are not traded or sold illegally.

A digital solution

‘I’m a web developer and the co-owner of a company that produces web applications for large businesses with complex privacy regulations,’ explains Marcel. ‘And I was tired of doing paperwork for my dart frogs so I developed Terrafile to make the administration easy for me. I contacted the Dendrobatidae Netherlands (Dutch Dendrobatid Society) to find out if my digital record keeping would be sufficient to satisfy the Dutch authorities, and they were so impressed the authorities suggested we offer the platform to other keepers so they could also benefit.’

Terrafile allows European keepers to upload all the information they may need to satisfy the legal requirements in their country, simplifying what was once a complex and time-consuming task – which also helps to make the process less daunting. ‘New keepers are often worried about completing paperwork correctly,’ says Marcel. ‘Terrafile walks you through the process so you can be confident it’s been done properly.’

All data is stored on ISO 27001-certified servers and is encrypted, so the system cannot be accessed without a login. Security is top priority for the Terrafile team.

Uptake

Since its launch in 2021, Terrafile has attracted 1,600 keepers who have recorded over 9,700 animals on the Terrafile platform.

Using Terrafile

Setting up a Terrafile account is easy. After entering your personal details such as the usual name, email address and password, the Terrafile system asks you to enter information about your animals. This process aims to satisfy the legal requirements of all European countries and is under constant development to ensure it’s as up to date and relevant as possible.

‘We aim to keep the system up to date so if the requirements in your country change you’ll be alerted and can take action. This means you won’t get caught out unintentionally,’ says Marcel.

At present keepers can register up to five animals free of charge on the Terrafile platform, paying a small yearly subscription fee if you want to register more.

New keeper transfer

Terrafile makes it easy to transfer files to a new keeper when an animal is sold, using a QR-code system. This means the new keeper won’t have to spend time inputting the details.

Working with the authorities

In the Netherlands, where Terrafile was developed, the animal-ownership authorities (NVWA) are enthusiastically supportive of the Terrafile system. They regularly communicate with the Terrafile team, keeping them up to date with any proposals and changes to the legislative requirements. Terrafile are currently developing relationships with authorities in other European countries too. ‘We want the Terrafile system to be compliant with the specific legislation for all European countries, and perhaps even further afield, if possible.’ says Marcel.

Case study

Reptielen-enzo (Reptiles etc)

Jan de Bruin runs a specialist reptile pet store in Holland and has been using Terrafile to register his store’s livestock since the platform was launched in 2021. The store’s routine inspection by a local-authority agent took less than five minutes.

Keeping you legal

The Terrafile database is obviously beneficial from a regulatory perspective, providing keepers with a fast and efficient way to upload, store and process the necessary administration. But it also simplifies and streamlines record keeping for breeders who need to document the offspring they have produced. The system automatically transfers information about parent animals and stores those details with the offspring’s file – a process which would be time consuming and difficult with paper records. This could be an especially useful feature in the future, as some European countries are considering a requirement for keepers to record grandparent information as well as that of the parent animals.

The Terrafile team is also planning to develop the system to record husbandry and medical records, as well as information about lineage which could help prevent inbreeding. There are also plans in development to create a version of Terrafile for birds.

‘But the most important consideration for the future is the likelihood that authorities will make digital record keeping mandatory, as is happening with many aspects of government bureaucracy,’ explains Marcel. ‘We believe it is important that keepers are ready for this inevitable change, especially as authorities across Europe are seemingly penalising those who cannot prove their animals were acquired legally.’

This could be invaluable for those who keep species not currently CITES listed. Should these species be added to CITES later, the keeper may then need to prove their animals were legally acquired and, if the keeper has not kept a receipt, invoice or other paperwork, they could run into problems.

There have already been numerous instances across Europe of animals being seized from keepers who bought their animals many decades before new legislation was formed. Over the years invoices, receipts and paperwork about the purchase have been lost, so the owner can no longer prove legal acquisition. If keepers were to log their animals on the Terrafile platform and upload any documentation and photographs they have, these records can be stored indefinitely and made available at any time in the future.