Exotic Pets Research Paper

Owning exotic animals is both cruel to the animal its self and dangerous to those who care for the animals. Keeping exotic animals as pets is cruel. In the article Do You Really Want a Baby Tiger? by Mia Lewis the author states “The end result is that far too many of these exotic animals spend almost their entire lives in the ‘prison’ of a small cage.” Obviously, exotic animals are meant to be in environments that promote their natural behavior; forcing these animals to be locked up in a small pen

Have you ever wanted to own an exotic animal for a pet? Many people are against owning exotic animals as pets, but many are well taken care of and a very low number of people are killed. They are also born in captivity. People should be allowed to own exotic animals as pets.

Have ever wondered why hawaii doesn't have animals like in the zoo? Hawaii has an exotic pet law and they don’t have any predators to keep the chain normal on hawaii Private ownership of captive wild animals, commonly referred to as “exotic pets,” has increased significantly over the last few years. There have been hundreds, if not thousands of incidents in which these pets have escaped, attacked, spread diseases, or been abused

In most places owning a dog or cat is second nature, but what about a tiger, bear or maybe python? Exotic pet ownership is far from having a clear right or wrong answer but it is in need of a ban for both the protection of animal and owner.For exotic pet owners, owning a wild beast insures a sense of power and uniqueness. It is also their way of contributing to the conservation of a species by having a “backup population” once human population growth and habitat destruction has resulted in extinction (Slater 113). But in reality the ownership of wild animals as pets only helps to damage already fragile ecosystems, both the one from which they came from and the new one in which they find themselves. Animals in captivity are also stripped of a natural life in the wild, free of confinement and unsuitable care. Finally, the risk to humans is very large, injuries inflicted from exotic pets are dangerous and possibly deadly. Bans vary from state to state, ranging from no ban to partial ban to complete ban, but even in states with full bans, exotic pet ownership still occurs. Private ownership of an exotic animal as a pet should be banned in the US, due to disruptions in ecosystems, the dangers that wild animals are exposed too, and the risks to the owners of these pets.

Every child has asked their parents for a pet animal. The thing is though, is what type of animal they asked for. Such as a dog or cat and even the occasional hippopotamus for Christmas, right? Lots of people buy exotic animals not knowing how much work it really takes to take care of them. For example, many people have bought pythons and when they get to a size where they can’t keep care of them they let them go into the wild. Exotic animals are very costly and time consuming, they grow up and get bigger and all in all they are very dangerous.

How many people think it is okay to have an exotic animal as a pet? People do not care about the responsibilities that come with owning an exotic pet when they get a wild animal. There are many positives and negatives regarding owning exotic pets, but the negatives outweigh the positives greatly. Keeping these animals in captivity is not only harmful to others but harmful to the animal. When treated as pets these animals grow into adults and act aggressively to others around them, spread diseases, and enclosures cost a great amount and have to be created by professionals the majority of the time.

Many death from exotic animals are rare because “in reality one may contract E.Coli virus from eating spinach than die from being attacked by an exotic animal” (Rexano 1). This shows that one is more likely to get an infection from food than to get attacked by a wild animal because there are lower rates of death from exotic animals than from food. Also, owning an exotic animal may rise one’s popularity because “no one will deny that owning an exotic pet is daring and different” (Lewis 22-23). This implies that owning an exotic pet can make a person stand out from society which mean their reputation in society would rise . However, there are still people dying from owning exotic animals and even though it makes a person unique, they are still dangerous. These animals are not used to the environment that humans live in and they have their own habitat that are designed for them.

Exotic animals are exotic. That is part of the reason that they are not to be kept as pets. Wild animals have their own needs for space and nutrition. When someone purchases an exotic animal as a novelty pet, but yet cannot provide proper care for the animal the purchased “the owner becomes, in effect, an abuser” (Ban Ownership of Exotic Pets). Even with the right intentions, if one cannot maintain a suitable environment for their animal, they shouldn’t have been able to purchase it in the first place.

Even though there are professional trainers to train animals still, there are 1610 incidents in America alone that have been reported regarding exotic pets in which there were 75 deaths. From this, it is clear to see that pets aren’t the safest things to have in your home. Many states don’t allow this but some still do. People should not be allowed to own exotic and endangered animals as pets. Even if they are not threatening you, you may cause a threat to them. These animals should have lots of space to move around and live in a safe habitat. Exotic and endangered animals could be dangerous to society and cause injuries or even death. Even as smart as humans are, they might not be able to handle these animals.

Many people are attracted to keeping wild animals as pets. They believe the wild animals to be interesting and exciting. At a young age, the animals may seem easier to tame, but the older these animals get, the more aggressive they tend to become. Many problems can develop from keeping a wild animal as a pet. Wild animals have specific needs that have to be met, in order for them to prosper. “Only the most exceptional zoos and wildlife centers provide a living area that somewhat resembles the natural habitat of these animals, but it is virtually impossible to provide sufficient space for larger species”(CFHS). In captivity animals do not lose their wild instincts. They can be extremely unpredictable, and if provoked they can cause severe harm to people. Some wild animals, such as reptiles and hedgehogs can actually carry bacteria called salmonella, which is very easily transmitted to humans. Exotic animals can be very social, and need to have a companion of the same species living with them. If the animal is kept isolated from its kind, then it can suffer psychologically (CFHS). Many wild animals that are kept as pets often get abandoned because the owner was not able to meet of its needs. Others try to

Exotic animals belong in the wild because the reason they are exotic is because they cannot be tamed like any other pet, and if they can’t be tamed, they can become a harm to the owner and to others that the animal feel threatened by. Injury and possibly death is likely to happen under such circumstances of the animals being neglected. Another reason why I believe that exotic animals do not belong under human captivity as pets is because it is harmful to the pets and the nature of them. Some animals need their families to survive and they also need to learn to hunt in order for them to survive. Once an exotic animal becomes the pet of someone, it becomes dependent which is unhealthy for the animal, especially if they are brought under captivity at such an early age. Owning exotic animals as keeping them as pets should be illegal is what I believe is right.

While domesticated pets like dogs and cats make good pets many people want to own exotic animals that belong in the wild. These animals range from tigers to pythons, but should not be owned as they need special care most people cannot provide. Not only this, but exotic animals release is harmful for everyone, the exotic animal, humans, and native animals. Lastly, many exotic animals carry diseases that are harmless to them, but fatal to humans. Exotic “pets” are harmful for everyone, not just the pet. This is why people should not be able to own exotic pets.

In the first place, owning an exotic pet can be a risk to your safety. The size of the animal does not determine how dangerous it is. In the article “ Do You Really Want A Baby Tiger?” the author Mia Lewis states “It's not just big cats, poisonous snakes and chimpanzees that can be harmful- even smaller exotic pets can cause serious injuries.” How dangerous exotic pets can be is just another reason why they should not be owned by private citizens.

In many states people own wild animals as pets, while in other states they don’t. I don’t think it is a good idea to own exotic pets because they are wild animals that are untameable, they can kill you, and they cost up to a few thousand dollars. These are some reasons why owning wild animals is a bad idea. In the meantime, I think its a bad idea to own an wild animal because in the story “Wild Animals Are Not Pets” on page 225 line 26-28 it says that in 2009 a 2-year old Florida girl was strangled by a 12-foot-long Burmese python.

The question of humanity arises every couple of years, on the topic - should exotic animals be allowed to be kept as pets. Is it humane for the beings who feel pain, give birth, take care of their young like human beings do to be behind bars? According to the National Geographic 66 percent of wild animals are owned privately while the 28 percent of the animals reside in the zoo. Some of the exotic animals can be found as pets rather than in the wild. The estimated number of Tigers kept as pets are between 5,000 and 7,000, which is more than the ones that exist in the wild. Interested buyers can purchase a tiger cheaper than some of the purebred dogs, for the price as shocking as 300 dollars. Though some states in the United States do allow wild animals as pets, it is still illegal in most states or require a license for it. Most of the animals as pets are through illegal routes like underground auctions and smuggling.