Accessibility | however, i do not agree with keeping exotic pets because of how it could change their species characteristics over time. width: 100%; Anyway, there was a huge fire. In fact, considering their extreme popularity, it can be argued that domesticated animals may be worse off. So, its not just bites and scratches you should be fearful of. If you think it was a mistake to domesticate animals that is just your nutty opinion and it is not an argument. You need to know more about them, they have special demands and people don't always bother to research about that. I know it is IMPOSSIBLE that you've never seen someone's cat carrying a helpless animal to play with. And yet, by and large the wildlife situation in the US national forests is in reasonable shape. Also, it steadily increased between 1990-2017. It's SIZE. 11% of the cases come from contact with a reptile thats 132,000 people. The common exotic pet owner, if exotic pet ownership were to become normal, would not purchase (legally) exotic animals from poachers anyhow. And not just in the United States, but worldwide (think feral dogs, cats, pigeons, swine). I was asleep in the passenger seat with Jezzy curled up in my chest. The wild relatives of domesticated cats aren't tigers and lions, This is a wildcat, and not much has changed. Guinea pigs, hamsters and numerous farm animals merely tolerate humans, and sometimes barely that. I know Sam may never see this, but I wrote it anyway so that people who come across this in the future may see a more logical answer. However, many use the term to include native species as well (e.g., snakes may sometimes be considered exotic as pets even in places where they are found in the wild). Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. When we got to California, we entered from a less trafficked road. On a side note.. Im not necessarily against exotic pet ownership. The NRA and proper hunting license management\enforcement. Slightly confused as to why ferrets are referred to as exotic pets? I'm fairly confident you can't. . Basically, whenever any animal of the exotic description harms anyone, the reaction is that all the animals should be banned. The severity of the problem may vary in extent (i.e. You can have 20 years of expertise, a 10 acre compound, and loads of money. Do you have any reasons you can give me that dont boil down to "keeping a lion is the same as keeping a caliko" like can you give me any reasons why its actually beneficial to the animal? We rely on readers to support this website. What other pets are similar to dogs? thanks for having this article it helps me for my school presentation. Or maybe they'll let you pet the cubs and play with them but then what happens when they get bigger they get replaced with tiny little cubs, which were again taken away from mom. My personal opinion is that the difference between domestic and exotic animals (referring mostly to mammals here) is that domestics are bred to want and enjoy human company whereas exotics are trained to tolerate it. have an exotic pet, they are great fun, but remember a lot of them aren't good pets. If the cat doesn't want to live with humans, it doesn't have to - it can always go and live somewhere else. Every year, 500 reptiles and 500 bird species are traded worldwide. All require the owner to do research, lest their care is executed poorly. You made amazing points and your article was very helpful. This article reads more like anti domesticated pets than it does pro exotic pets. However, back to my first argument; Dogs, cats, and other domesticated creatures have been made used to humans and are dependent on us for food and love. Also, what do you keep exactly? The breeder you got your lemur or whatever from will tell you some story about how this animal was saved when in reality it was probably captured and taken away from it's family. "Exotic" often refers to a species which is not native or indigenous to the owner's locale, and "pet" is a companion animal living with people. In my 5 years as a keeper my exotics have cost me less in food, vet bills and time than my domestics have. You must really love cats. margin-bottom: 1.5rem; Call 401-273-0358. Exotic Pet Ownership. Of specialty and exotic pets owned in the US in 2016, most households had fish, reptiles, and other mammals. In my opinion the world would be less selfish if no one kept exotic pets, though you are right that the world is corrupt and people everywhere are selfish. I'm moving the NC too, and be SURE to find one of the few remaining counties that doesn't have bans. It's insulting when people approach someone who's obviously invested in a subject and attempt to 'argue' using basic points they heard in some anti-exotic pet pamphlet. (On her leash with her name tag). Smuggling parrots and reptiles is illegal. The incident happened . Tigers will not be kept in living rooms and dart out the front door when the owner leaves. Try telling my very domesticated, indoor by choice cat that she's meant to be wild xD Seriously, if I leave her out on her own for more than 5 minutes, she gets pissed off at me. "For example, there have been instances, although rare, where privately owned tigers and lions, some of which could have been former "pets", were slaughtered so that their parts could be sold on the black market.". I think my selfishness level does not exceed that of most modern people. They are a domesticated animal dived from the European polecat. so your telling me owning a chihuahua is just as selfish selfish as purchasing a baby leopard. I have had a leopard gecko and a yellow lab for about 5 years now and they both have the same needs, water, food and space. For example, 22% of homes in Indonesia own a bird, whereas less than 3% own a cat or dog. Probably. I hope some education will help you all. font-size: 1.5rem; I learnt new things here. Exotic pets can cause a serious amount of damage, but well get to that shortly. This includes big cats, primates, reptiles, amphibians, and rare birds. Good job. They take your money and manipulate you emotionally. Your first 2"arguments" don't really support exotic pet ownership - you're just claiming that "normal" pet owners do bad things, too. width: auto; Its still a form of "animal imprisonment" to keep a domestic cat/dog/whatever. No. Melissa, I love your articles and am incredibly grateful for what you write. The thriving industry is worth over $15 billion a year. Find out which exotic pets kept in private homes are the most dangerous. Read. TikTok is filled with accounts showing off exotic animals that aren't typically house-trained, like . Common household pets also contribute a great deal to the pet trade so always ensure you find a reputable breeder. to have anything as a pet, is completely wrong ! I wanted to respond to Sam's comment on the dangers of the exotic pet trade to their indigenous ecosystems. I did show up to court with my ferret, and thankfully the case was dropped after I explained that my ferret was no filthier than anyone else walking their dog. Mas Agung Wilis/NurPhoto via Getty Images. I know I am some random person on the internet, and this may all be annoying to read since your views are different, but please understand I care for the animals. Because my ferret supposedly has rampant diseases. Yes, domestic cats have a huge impact on the environment, but that's not what the argument's about. Even if I really, really, really want a Pallas' cat. But there arent specific products for exotic pets, which presents a massive issue. It's all linked, we should have a low tolerance for people with exotic pets, because there will always be some POS out there who wants to capitalize on the exotic animal business, and to those people it doesn't matter how many have to suffer in order to make a living. Its important to not be spontaneous about the acquisition of any animal. If nobody wants exotic pets, traders wont catch them. Domesticated pets *are* more tame than wild animals. Exotic pets may also have the advantage of receiving individualized attention, unlike many zoo animals. 75% of human infections started with an animal-borne disease. The idea that a tiger wants to kill you every chance it gets is just ignorance. He asked for the ferret, and not wanting to get in too much more trouble I reluctantly handed her over. The term "exotic pet" encompasses a broad range of animals, loosely meaning any pet that is not a dog, cat, or farm animal. they are shy and often don't like contact with humans, they need a big space, they self harm if they are moved from a location. Very nice and well written article. If you already have the name of someone who has experience with the type of animal that you have, then calling them is probably your best bet. That does NOT have to do with any 'wild' characteristics. 3. im impressed that u know how to put fake info. In 2016, 13.3% of households were estimated to have specialty or exotic pets, a 25.5% increase from 2011. In most states, many exotic animals are not allowed to be owned as pets, period. On December 30th, 2018, a zoo worker in Burlington, North Carolina, was attacked by a lion who escaped its pen. Now, you might be thinking whats the harm in owning an exotic pet? they will eat and kill anything smaller than them. And these are merely the recorded numbers. You may care for your animals like any pet owner, but owning an animal that really hasn't adapted to living with humans seems very cruel to me. Approximately 90.5 million domesticated animals live in 70% of pet-owning households (2022). If you truly love animals, you'd want them to be able to live in a world where they are free to do as they please. I don't think there's anything wrong with exotic pets or cats. Doesn't it matter that members of the uninvolved public are almost never victims? As of 2018, the US has over, Monkeys are the most common primate that private owners hold. Tags: Alice Blue-McLendon, Exotic Animals, pet talk, 2023, Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Take A Trip On The Wild Side: Ethical Exotic Pet Ownership. If we educate people on the harms these animals can cause to humans, people will most likely stop buying these "pets" which means the smugglers can't sell anything. In Mexico City, a 500-pound lion escaped from a local lawmakers private zoo and attacked a woman and child. The only special permits required are to move llamas, cattle, bison, domestic dog, horses, ferrets, goats, poultry, sheep, and pigs on the state's roads. I've lived with cats and dogs in my youth. It is becoming crystal clear that many things humans do as mere hobbies and pleasure have negative impacts for our world, but laws seem to be made only when people are wrongfully intimidated by something. Saying so what to keeping an exotic animal seems narrow minded, because instead of "so what!?" Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on February 20, 2018: Adam, It's not my job to defend owning pets in general just because mine are exotic. The laws regarding exotic pet ownership vary by state. Generally, the first reaction a typical person has is of course! And then to top it all off, we keep millions of human-engineered carnivores that must subsist on the deaths of other animalsbut if I pick an uncommon pet, all of the sudden I am viewed as extra selfish. So yes, taking animals from their native habitat is wrong and endangers the ecosystem in the cases where the animal is endangered, but no it does not justify a blanket ban of any animal that is abnormal (not a cat or a dog). I do plan on having a small, responsible, licensed zoo after college. The man died, and so did the lion after failed tranquilization attempts. So "safe pets" caused over 40,000 treatments to be needed and that's not even including other pets deemed as safe like cats/rats/mice etc and reptiles/inverts, so called "dangerous wild animals", didn't even make it into 2000. Additional legislation wouldn't even be necessary to deter the average exotic pet owner from purchasing poached animals due to the laws already in place. What kind of heavily concerning zoonotic diseases do captive born genets, wallabies, servals, sugar gliders, capybara, bobcats, toucans, zebras, coatimundis, and wolves have? "And it's estimated that 80-90% of macaques (even "pet trade" individuals) carry the Herpes B virus, which is fatal to humans.". Keeping in mind that lack of being more damaging than another type of animal is not by any means meant to be taken as an attempt to make light of the negative environmental impact that some of our pet-keeping decisions are responsible for, the most popular pets in America that are recommended as moral alternatives to exotic pets are indeed the most damaging to the ecosystem. Just touching an exotic animal can make you sick. So what! I agree with exotic pets should be allowed. A pet jaguar in Belize escaped in 2010 and killed the neighbor of the owner. If you have an exotic pet, you are most likely promoting the exotic pet trade. Or really anyone who does anything that affects animals negatively. Argument 3 is pretty good, but we can't say with certainty that NO exotic pet has EVER harmed the environment. Median home list price: $250,000. Maybe, just maybe, it is the sheep-like parroting of people like you, Sam, that is uneducated and unfounded. Let the authorities handle it and stop thinking all American pet owners need to be punished by having their pets banned due to the actions of criminals. Thank you for your time. I agree that naturally, a dog is able to bite just as much as, say, a monkey. Some say that the difference between "wild" pets and domesticated pets is that the former are inherently dangerous. In the 90s, between 2-5 million birds were sold globally. Now don't think that I find the non-U.S. incidents irrelevant or that I believe that it's IMPOSSIBLE for a cat to escape and harm a member of the public. I did almost loose my ferret, when I was younger and ignorant of states having their own pet laws. Ten years ago, exotic animal owner Terry Thompson returned home to his 46-acre farm near Zanesville after a year-long stint in prison on a federal firearms conviction. In actuality, the same conflicts that exist for exotic pets also exist for domesticated animals. For example, there have been instances, although rare, where privately owned tigers and lions, some of which could have been former "pets", were slaughtered so that their parts could be sold on the black market. first of all chihuahuas are toy dogs and bred to be companions. Keeping a tiger in a cage is not right, no matter the emotional well being it can give you. Why? The term exotic pet encompasses a broad range of animals, loosely meaning any pet that is not a dog, cat, or farm animal. This includes hamsters, parakeets, or even bunny rabbits. Salmonella affects about 1.2 million people in the US each year. Doesn't it matter that out of thousands, around one or two animals cause 'problems' for the public annually? Now as for inherently dangerous animals: Without having researched this, I can confidently say that this animal has never killed a person in recent history, other than disease transmission (last occurred in 1997). Promptly after releasing them, he shot himself. Before you start preaching to others how wrong it is to own exotic pets, just be sure you inform people you are also against owning dogs and cats. The exotic pet industry is worth $15 billion a year. Can you own a monkey or fox in this U.S. state? Exotic pet owners keep exotic pets for the same reasons that domesticated animal owners keep domesticated pets, which is the hope of a symbiotic relationship with their creature of choice. [CDATA[/* >