'Should it really be a pet?'

najdoyza from the mountains (Contact Member) -

I'm seeing a lot of more and more exotic animals being kept as pets and I really have to wonder what some people are thinking. Here in the States there are not many places where I think it would be safe to keep things like cougars, lions, tigers, and many of the other exotics. They are not domesticated and many of the owners just want one "cause it's cool to have" They have no idea of the natural tendencies and temperments of these animals much less a proper environment to raise them in. What do they do with them when they get big and they eat a lot and aren't so cool anymore. They have been around us too long so they are no longer suited to the wild where they should have been left.

I love cougars (my nic is a native american word for cougar) but as much as I have seen some of the animals in rescue shelters and wildlife refuges, I would never consider trying to have one as a pet in a residential area. Dogs and housecats have been domesticated for thousands of years and look what happens to them when they become feral. They are all the more dangerous because they have no fear of humans, so they attack us. Usually childrenThey are beautiful, but many of these animals should be admired from a distance and left in peace in their own habitat.

Comment #1 Odie from the dog house (Contact Member) -

Yes I agree with you. I don't understand why people feel the need to keep exotic animals as pets. They need to be in the wild where they can reproduce so not to become extinct.

Comment #2 Silima (198.209.77.233) -

I agree as well. Exotic animals desearve to be in their natural habitat not with a human that might get bored with the animal and kick them out of their house after they get used to the human owner. They are dangerous when angry and will hurt anyone at will. If they weren't so dangerous or on the breach of extiction then sure have them as a pet. Otherwise leave the animals be were they belong.

Silima

Comment #3 racquel (68.88.115.183) -

I have to agree also..

I did buy a "domestic" raccoon... He is 3 years old now.

I will never buy or even own another one. So much work and too many things I had to give up.. Like my home!!! He has taken over.. but at least he is happy.. they are not happy in a cage. and I wont put him in a cage.

I do wildlife rescue also.. and get in dozens of unwanted raccoons.. its very sad.. after a year or so the owners do not want them anymore and bring them to me... They ( raccoons) usually hate my guts.. and probably thinking.. why did my mommie leave me here!

I have no choice but to get them used to the outdoors and release them when I feel they are ready.

Comment #4 Rickky from Planet Of The Pets (Contact Member) -

O shut up. Exotic animals are awsome pets! I live in canada and i have a cheetah and much more so bite yourselves!!

Comment #5 becky from llandudno. north wales (Contact Member) -

lol ricky you get pissed off way easy dont you.

and for everyone else on this forum.

wtf is your problem. if people want to own these animals then its their choice. at the end of the day you have no say in the matter. yes cats and dogs have been domesticated, they was once wild too ya know and now we name them mans best friend well why is this different matter just because the animals are larger. as long as the owners are taking care of the animal and its healthy and well and sticking to the laws for safety then why dont predujiced people just butt out, its not like they are harming the animal or forcing it to dance ect.. they are simply inviting it into their home to smother in love and attention. a much better life than out in the wild alone, having to fight for food and terrified of poachers ect.. and about this needing to be in the wild so they dont die out. well that is bull because in the wild these beautiful animals are dying out that is why we have breeding programmes. which btw are in captivity so get it right.

the only animal i dont agree with keeping is spiders but thats only because im scared of them. but yet again its the owners personal choice

Comment #6 Danielle (217.171.129.73) -

I think all animals as pets is wrong, they all belong in the wild no matter if they are a dog, cat or hamster, I study animal management and think the way the animals are treated is hurrable, they are poked, proded its un-natural.

No wounder so many animals are in homes and people are attacked.

Comment #7 Chelsea from Colorado (Contact Member) -

I think Ricky should Shut up hiself But I do agree with najdoyza I do think that Cheetahs and tigers and all the others that still live in the wild should be free to live without humans bothering them but dogs and cats and hamsters were made to show people how to love something more than DRUGS OR GARBAGE thats why there called MANS BEST FRIEND too... Dogs RULE CATS DRULE

Comment #8 Michelle (1) from Guelph Ontario (Contact Member) -

I don't believe it should necessarily be banned, but I also don't think that anyone anywhere should be able to own an exotic pet. I work in an exotic animal sanctuary and believe it or not, sometimes I wish some of these animals could find loving homes and owners. Yes some owners are uneducated and do not realize the amount of responsibility it takes to own an exotic pet. These cases are the ones where you find the owners trying to release them into a wild unknown habitat. In most of these cases the animals do not know how to cope with their new environment and therefore die. But on the plus side there are owners who really have a love for the animal that they have. The exotic animal bann has very good intentions on behalf of one side of this argument but on the other hand the responsible owners do their research and find that a lot of the time these animals who could have been living out a long fufilling life with an owner get cramped up in over populated sanctuary cages. Sometimes they are actually killed too. Unfortunately in this world there is good and there is bad and it's quite impossible to regulate every exotic owner's treatment of an animal. I'm not sure where I stand with the whole argument, maybe one of you guys can help me with this dilema.

Comment #9 shavannah (38.116.200.10) -

animals(as pets)are taken from their homes an familys kepping them in a cage just because rhei cut is like keeping a man in prison cause he has a nice beard. how hypreitcial is it to say that u love animals when you basically enslave them for your presonal pleasure.

Comment #10 Mary (71.32.120.80) -

Hamsters have not been kept as pets nearly as long as most of the exotic pets you are complaining should be in the wild. Foxes, bears, skunks, and lots more all have a longer history of being kept as pets. If they are kept healthy, happy and reasonable steps are taken for safety then there is no problem. If not neglect, abuse, and public endangerment laws would/should already address the problem. No law has ever or will ever prevent anything laws are to punish. There is nothing to punish about having a pet of any species. There is for abuse or neglect of that pet but not if kept properly.

As for problems it really is a small percent but it is news worthy because it's rare. And good owners are not news worthy nor are most attention seekers. They are like any of you and have a pet they love and prefer low profiles too keep their pets safe from people that think better dead than a pet. The problem isn't ownership It's a small percent of bad owners. Most people are not stupid enough to think a tiger will stay a cub forever. Most owners love their pets and will do what is best for them. I believe more domestics get abused and neglected percentage wise than exotics. No one has ever set a tiger on fire while still alive they have cats and dogs. Then, if a ban is to protect animals, ban cats and dogs.

Don't ban a species ban the deeds.

As for taking them from the wild that is a misconception. No tigers are imported only born and bred for many generations in the USA like parrots and your precious hamsters who have not been kept nearly as long as tigers have by people. The vast majority of exotics are born and bred as pets. Everyone prefers a healthy domestically bred and tamed pet to taking a wild one with unknown history and health and intact wild temperament. Just try hugging a wild coon and see if it is even remotely the same as a tame one. Laws on wild animals are strict and those few wind up with more expert folk.

As stated above these AR(animal rights) folks who push these ideas want even dogs and cats banned. They want no human animal contact. They are just picking on the less commonly kept pets first because we are fewer in number and an easier target. Hamsters, ferrets, hedgehogs, parrots, certain breeds of cats and dogs and even gerbils are all already banned in certain states and localities. Anywhere a ban is passed they come back year after year to add more species to the banned list.

• Exotic nimal owners under attack

Comment #11 Cat girl (71.32.120.80) -

What do tey do once they grow up? They keep and love them!

• Lion, tigers, and cougar pets!

Comment #12 Kim (69.19.14.26) -

ok well im not goin to be as violent as ricky but i have a cougar and she is a great pet! yes i agree that people shouldnt hav exotic pets because they dont make great pets in some conditions but in the right condittions they can make good pets. but all you people hear is the bad stuff and so you support groups like peta when you dont hear the truth. i do wish that they were left in the wild but the fact is they arent! can you stop talking trash about people that own exotic pets!?! because its just not fair for them! they love their animals and im sure they hear enough about how bad a person they are because of the pet they have. i kno i do! yea ok you dont support them but that doesnt mean you have to be so rude in telling them. think about if u were put in their position what would u do? most people that have them and are good owners must fight for their pets every day and spend thousands of dollars each year to care for and have the rigth to keep their beloved pet. so next itme you decide to be mean to sum1 with an exotic pet think about what ur gona say and what it would be lik if you were in their position!

Comment #13 kim (69.19.14.26) -

and by the way danielle, do you really believe that dogs and hamsters can survive in the wild?? you must be crazy!

Comment #14 Wayde Forster from New York (Contact Member) -

Cat Girl, Mary, and Kim seem to have the right ideas-how about a reasonable middle ground? None of these exotic pets are taken from the wild anymore-they are descended from zoo over-stocks that got into private hands(not always ethical, but its better than selling them to shooter farms) Most endangered animals are so because they simply have nowhere to live. We have taken all of their territory for our exploding population, and they are simply squeezed out. When they are well cared for, most of them are happier than they ever could be in the wild-they have veterinary care, food, water, shelter, and protection from predators. The PETA types that think they need 'freedom' are simply assigning human values to animals that simply aren't aware of such abstract concepts. And, no, I don't think most people should have many of the exotics, but MOST people don't keep them.

Comment #15 Ampersand (99.152.34.0) -

I basically agree with everyone here. But it must be a middle ground. You must realize that many domesticated animals should not live in the wild, nor should many exotic animals live in captivity. If you care for and devote, basically, your life to this exotic animal, then it is better in your hands than in the wild.

--Ampersand

Comment #16 becky (90.206.248.236) -

hey kim hamsters do survive in the wild as do so, e dogs but i certainly wouldnt expect a chihuahua too lol and as for the hamsters in the wild they have a tough life trying to escape snakes and all other predatorts theyre pretty low on the food chain. if we think theyre life is short with us imagine how short it would be in the wild.

i dont get why whoever said its cruel to keep cats dogs and hamsters said that. maybe she isnt allowed to own any pets therefor is jelous or something but as for the poked and prodded ..i dont poke and prod my dogs so i think ya need to back track a little

Comment #17 jade (78.151.118.162) -

cats and dogs have been breed over hundreds of years from the wild to make them tame and loveing, however cheatas r wild animals, and even if they are playing with you they could hurt you, n my hamsta got out into my gardan wtf u rekon happend 2 him>

Comment #18 doggy (124.104.240.118) -

i think that it's not right to own a exotic pets because we thought that we are giving them love and care but the truth is were not giving them any of our love and care because we separate them to their families. if we separate them to their families, it will just give the animals a tremendous stress because just like us we also need to be at the side of our family and that is where we can find the true meaning of our happiness. so try not to buy or even sell exotic animals because they deserve to be free in the wild and they can handle their own situation....

• Should it really be a pet?; Exotic Pets

Comment #19 Steven (24.4.161.37) -

Middle ground is the best to be at. Whoever said owning an exotic pet is a moron. I mean they are domesticated.

Comment #20 goldfish (129.252.111.145) -

For all of you dumb asses that think exotic animals should be kept in the wild because they aren't domesticated and think it's okay to keep cats and dogs as pets, you're in idiots. Cats and dogs were once wild animals too. All animals are wild at some point. Domesticated means taming and breeding a wild animal over many generations. For anyone who doesn't understand that's exactly what happened to cats and dogs and is attempting to be done to other wild animals.

Chelsea from Colorado and najdoyza from the mountains. You two are especially ignorant and hypocritical to say that it's okay to keep cats and dogs as pets, but not exotic animals. Peace

Comment #21 Harry (72.171.0.141) -

I beleive you are a bit out of your place to JUDGE responsible exotic animal owners based upon the actions of those who are irresponsible and don't know what they are doing or don't care. A good example are people who commit discrimination against other people. Their system of JUDGING others works in very much the same way. They expound on a few screw-ups and claim that everyone like them are screw-ups. I thought our society outgrew that during the 1960s. Needless to say as a responsible exotic animal owner I have been just as offended as though I've been JUDGED based on my race, religious prefrence or nationality. IF YOU ARE GOING TO PASS YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT ON ME ABOUT ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IVOLVES STRIPPING A FREEDOM AWAY FROM ME, DO NOT DO SO BASED ON THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS. MOST PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE JUDGEMENTAL PEOPLE. ANY FORM OF BIAS JUDGEMENT IS SICK. ANY FORM.

As for you, Danielle in comment #6, Get your head screwed on straight. If you can't, seek professional help before you hurt yourself or someone else.

Comment #22 Roger G from Kelowna BC (Contact Member) -

Exotic animals as pets. I agree that people should have the choice of owning one, but the problem is that people take on the responsibilities without knowing very much about the animals. Large or small, it's the same. How many questions do we see in forums on very basic care of an animal. How many animals are abused, abandoned and put down because the owners didn't/couldn't take care of them they way they should. Perhaps the answer is that all pet owners must go thru a testing process, post a bond, buy a licence, etc ... same as driving a car, or owning a gun. Make pet owners more responsible and maybe we won't have the problems we do.

• Todays Pet

Comment #23 Harry from Comment #21 (72.171.0.149) -

Roger, comment #22; In many states a licence is required to keep these kind of animals. Twenty five years ago, when I lived in Florida, I had a cougar and a serval. Before you are allowed to purchase a wild animal in the State of Florida(larger than a opposum or raccoon), a licence issued by the Fish and Game Commission is required. Also required is a wild animal husbandry course from an accredited school for the family of animal you plan to have. Then a Fish and Game inspection of your facility is also required. The cost of my licence wasn't much, $100 per year renewable in July. I do find Florida's licencing system to be a good thing because, as you had in other words stated, It weeds out the screw-ups from the responsible animal owners. The screw-ups don't get a chance to screw it up for everyone else. However, the only thing that burns me up to no end are those zellet activists such as API, PETA, Animal Liberation Front(they're known for terrorist tactics) and Tippie Hederon's Shamballa movement who want a federal flat out ban on anyone keeping a wild animal, no matter how responsible they are. It's as though that bunch(who have the mind-set of a bunch of hippies) wants to "clump" responsible and irresponsible people into the same ball of clay and put them all in the same boat...As I stated in comment #21, "Bias Judgement". Those hippies, as I refer to them, remind me of those folks who read about a liquor store robbery in the newspaper, then go around telling everyone that guns should be outlawed.

Where I now live, in a more rual part of the country, I am

preparing to get back into keeping wild animals. I've already inquired to the Fish and Game Commission in the state in which I live about this time going into it as a licenced breeder/dealer(If I'm paying $1500 to $2500 for an animal, I should be selling them also). However, as for my side of that endeavor, I plan to take the time to explain to a customer what they are getting into...I'd still rather loose a sale than to have an animal born under my care become not only somebody's nightmare, but a nightmare to that animal also.

I've thought about getting into breeding animals before I moved away from Florida six years ago. But Florida has become so overcrouded and expensive to live there I could easilly devote a whole page about that one.

Comment #24 Heeroneko (75.106.177.174) -

Well I don't really understand the logic of getting a 'pet' that is large enough to eat you or that can easily kill you. If someone honestly wanted to domesticate say...black bears...as illogical as that seems to me...and if they have the appropriate liscenses...if they even exist...they should start a breeding program to slowly domesticate the animal. Not really the greatest thing but it'd be better than a bear that isn't since people will buy them anyway.

At one point in time even dogs, cats, and cows were wild animals. Really house cats are more likely to kill your pet mouse than an exotic cat now that I think of it...since that's what they were bred to do regardless of whether or not food is plentiful. Most animals that are domestic are only domestic because they're useful. That's why dogs and cats have become domesticated even tho they aren't used for milk or food...well usually not food.

Also, you have to kinda remember that 'exotic' is kinda a bad term to use. Some exotic animals are regularly domesticated in the area they're from even tho they're considered exotic.

I don't think it's right for people to keep animals that could pose an immediate danger to other animals and people, but I also believe that animals like Genets and such that are easily cared for and seem to integrate well with humans are good pets. There are plenty of animals that are domesticated that don't make good 'pets' and whose only use is as livestock.

...bloop 83

E-Mail:         

Name:            (required)

Title:           (required)

Message (do not enter emails or links or urls in the message!):