October 18th, 2011, Fifty-six exotic animals were set loose in Ohio by their private owner. In the hours that followed, according to USA news, forty-nine beautiful exotic animals were slaughtered as they ran to terrorize surrounding neighborhoods, as they attacked nearby horses, as they lunged at on-scene sheriffs, and as they ran across the highway towards freedom. Of the animals killed at the Zanesville Massacre were eighteen endangered Bengal tigers, seventeen lions, six black bears, two grizzlies, three mountain lions, two wolves, and a baboon. A fellow cat killed a monkey, while another monkey – who carried the Herpes B virus, fatal to humans – was never found (ABC News, 2011).
It all could have been avoided, and, in some cases it still can be. Today, I’m going to address the dangers of owning exotic animals – not only the dangers to people, but further more, the dangers to the animals, and hopefully, I will persuade you to not own exotic animals as personal pets, and to also get behind the movement to insure that there are laws that prevent such action as well. I’ll describe the reasoning of the dangers, the most sought after exotic animals, the dangers that come with them, and further the lack of the laws protecting the animals, and the public.
There has always been a fascination with exotic animals – beyond site seeing at the zoo. They’re cute, cuddly, unbearably adorable – who wouldn’t want to snuggle with a cute little bear?
The fascination, the want, the need to have the best, baddest, cutest, and most exotic pet is understood – but it shouldn’t be accepted.
As stated by Doctor Julio Correa, “people do not seem to fully understand the health and safety risks associated with owning an exotic animal.” Yes of cours...
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...at are unsuitable as pets.”(Correa, 2010).
A Life Sentence states that “federal oversight of exotic animal ownership in the United States in minimal. In fact, no federal law exists that regulates or prohibits the keeping of exotic animals as pets.” Further, A Life Sentence reports that “the laws differ from state to state on the type of regulation imposed” and that “there may be prohibition, a license requirement, or no regulation at all” (A Life Sentence, 2009).
In the end, it is up to us as people to make a decision to not turn exotic animals into pets. Although cute, cuddly, and seemingly welcoming, these beautiful wild animals deserve to be just that – beautiful wild animals. They deserve that right – and with it eliminates the danger that comes with containing them as pets – not only to their owners, to our families, to our neighbors, but also to the animal.
The exotic pet trade is a booming industry, raking in millions of dollars every year. Everything from harmless leopard geckos to hyenas can be found in 30 of the 50 states. Of those 30 states, only 21 require permits to own these animals (Webber 2010). Indiana has just recently withdrawn its own requirement for permits, making 10 states that allow any kind of exotics without documentation (Kelly 2015). It is estimated that 15,000 big cats are being kept as pets in the United States alone, with more captive tigers in Texas than there are in India. Approximately 15,000 primates and 7.3 million reptiles are also being kept in the US (Webber 2010). What does all of this mean and, more importantly, what can be done about it?
Kendall, Jodi. (n.d.) Wild at Home: Exotic Anmals as Pets. National Geographic. Retrieved March 5th 2014, from http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/animal-intervention/articles/wild-at-home-exotic-animals-as-pets/
Kukol, Zuzana. "Let People Own Exotic Animals." USA Today 21 Oct. 2011, Opposing View sec.: n. pag. Middle Search Plus. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. .
The general public has a lack of understanding of animal hoarding. Many citizens do not realize that anyone can report abuse (Donaghey 2011). There are “…900 to 2,000 new cases [found] every year… with a quarter million animals falling victim” in the United States alone (Animal). If every hoarder has a neighbor on either side there are at least 4,000 witnesses to these crimes yearly. One reason for witnesses not reporting cases is the unknown fact that hoarded animals “range in species from cats and dogs to reptiles, rodents, birds, exotics and even farm animals” (Animal). Hoarded animals show signs of abuse which witnesses can detect such as heartworms, embedded collars, beaten, social issues, emaciated, or if they generally look unhealthy (Donaghey 2011).
From chimpanzees to capuchins to lemurs to marmosets, primates of all sizes are kept as pets worldwide. But even they are cute as babys they still grow up , and some are more powerfull than human!So the But the question looms: do they actually make good pets? Primates require professional, well-managed care. They are susceptible to both transmitting diseases to humans and contracting diseases from humans. People considering private ownership of primates should seek professional advice before making their decision. As monkeys mature, so do their motivations. Primates have been known to suffer intense psychological maladies, quite similar to ours. Prisoners become terminally depressed because they are kept in dark, sun-deprived quarters with minimal human interaction. Primates like her are highly social animals that require group
The first point of view from this issue is the side that believes humans, zoos and other facilities should be allowed to keep animals. The places that captivate animals believe that they are doing a favor to the creatures. They believe that they are saving them from being killed by humans. They say that if they would not have taken in these animals they would have died in the wild. They say they’re giving them a fresh new start and a place to live without worry. For example, in this article they state that zoos try and h...
A social outrage has broken recently amid the scandal of Cecil the Lion’s death. Cecil was illegally hunted and killed by the American dentist Walter Palmer. Since then, it has caused the world to change their minds on the effects of trophy hunting. Succeeding the death of the renowned lion, a recent poll in America displays that on a three to one margin, the respondents said they would rather be tourists in a country that prohibits trophy hunting, instead of one that does not. The debate is ascending as more hunters proudly present their ‘trophy’ on social media. Many nature conservatives and animal protection agencies are raising awareness because of the fact that Cecil died in a meaningless and violent manner.The problem is not only in America, but around the globe. Trophy hunting should be illegal in the world because it is merely killing animals without a meaningful purpose, and it produces harmful effects to the environment.
Not only the animals being owned but all the other animals in the wild, 19 species are predicted to go extinct by 2023, 8 of them is because of people owning exotic pets. Exotic pets are dieing because they are escaping from their cages and being killed by authorities. They are also dieing because they are committing suicide on themselves, this can happen when the animal gets so stressed of their daily life in a cage, there has been cases when animals hit themselves on the head using their cages wall. People buying exotic animals are not only affecting the animal (Pet) but are also affecting other animals in the wild. The food chains are collapsing, if an animal eats the animal that are barely in the wild because of people using them as exotic pets that wild animal might die because of the lack of food and and so on, therefore depopulating ecosystems. In the end this is a serious matter of animals going endangered and extinct that needs a
Animals that are brought to the United States and taken to someone’s home are said to have to go through the “exotic pet trade.” These animals are taken from their natural habitat, such as Australia, Brazil, and Africa and are exposed to harsh transport. Some examples of animals that are put in these conditions are parrots. They sometimes have their beaks and legs taped and are stuffed into tubes. Turtles suffer harsh conditions as well. They are trapped with tape inside their shells and shoved into small compartments along with many other turtles. These animals are put in such horrible conditions that many die before arriving at their destinations (“Exotic Animals as Pets”). These animals have to reason to be suffering because if they were left free in their natural habitat as they should be they would not have to
On the other hand, just as there are laws there are many weak laws that have been enforced to protect animals from cruelty. As a matter of fact not only are the laws weak, but they are also rarely enforced. The reason being is because police officers and public presecutors frequently view animal cru...
"98 Important Facts About . . .Animal Cruelty." . N.p., 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 13 May 2014. .
Do you know that if you buy a pet from a pet store, there will be some animals die in the shelters? Do you also know that every year there are thousands of sheltered animals are euthanized—mercy killing— because there is no space for them? Many people buy pets rather than adopt from shelters because they think they are healthy, purebred and well-behaved. But actually the sheltered animals may be healthier, happier and much cheaper. In the recent years, more and more people decide to adopt animals since there are numerous advantages such as changing a homeless animal’s whole life, reducing illegal trade and puppy farms and benefiting from long- term advice and support.
Having exotic animals as pets is immoral and dangerous. They endanger the community, become sick, and their owners abandon them. Each State in the USA has a different law against exotic animals; multiple allow exotic pets, some allow restriction, and few do not permit exotic pets. Even if keeping an exotic animal is illegal, some one will go against the law to have what he or she wants. You may think ‘i can take good care of an animal. It will be better off with me,’ but it won't. Every country should have and exotic animal ban and realize the hurt one is causing to these poor
It is said that in order to protect the wildlife, we need to be educated about the wildlife that inhabits our planet. As humans, and the superior species on Earth, we put exotic animals, aquatic and terrestrial, in zoos or aquariums where people can go to see them to learn more about them in order to protect them. It just so happens that by putting these animals into captivity, we are causing more damage to them, just as damage is occurring in the wild and more species are becoming extinct. Animals should not be held in captivity; it does not save them from going extinct, but helps kill them off.
With how easy it is to obtain all sorts of creatures to bring home, these are just a few thoughts that you should consider before welcoming anything into your home. Avoid giving in to your toddler's tears over a kitten or having your newly introduced eel munch on the rest of your fish, by making a responsible decision. Although finding the right pet for your lifestyle may be time consuming, keep in mind that pets are not toys, but living creatures. Considering all that has been mentioned, following this procedure also helps to not contribute to the number of pets waiting for a new owner at shelters or rescues. When proper research is done, a suitable environment is supplied, and a well cared for animal is chosen, the likelihood of having a great relationship with your new friend becomes greater.