Exotic Pet Research Paper

People who keep exotic animals as pets do not realize the danger they are putting on the animals or themselves. There have been around 2,000 incidents involving captive exotic pets that have been reported and 75 reported deaths between the years of 1990

Owning an exotic pet can go wrong in a lot of ways and it can seriously harm the animal you are keeping, other animals, and people; including the animal's owner. If someone would want to try to keep one of these animals they would have to put a lot of work, time, and money into it because you have to keep the animal healthy, happy, safe, and you also have to make sure you are keeping everyone else safe including yourself. Still, you could be putting yourself, the animal, and others in danger.

According to Mia Lewis, author of Do You Really Want a Baby Tiger, there has been a huge increase in the amount of people who own exotic animals in the states. Many people find the need to have an exotic animal to stand out from all the rest. Although most people don’t understand how costly it is to own an exoctic animal or how you have to furfill their needs and even the dangers of owning an exoctic pet which is why owning an exoctic pet is not a good idea.

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

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.

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.

As kids we all see a puppy and say awww look at that adorable doggy mom, can we get it? Then they say no it’s too expensive. On average a dog cost about 700 dollars and that's not including all the food and supply. So if a dog cost that much just image what an exotic animal would cost. In Mia Lewis’s, Do You Really Want a Baby Tiger? She states “You have to build a sturdy cage or enclosure that is the appropriate size and the right hiding, resting, climbing, and play space to approximate the animals natural habitat”(Lewis). With this evidence the amount of land that would be taken up would be about four or five acres of land, to keep the animal happy. And if you have more land that means more money being spent. Another reason why exotic animals can be time consuming and expensive is that they grow up. Mia Lewis states that “ Keep in mind that that pet ownership is a lifetime commitment. Jenney’s dog may live to be 15, but a

The laws on having exotic animals is a very controversial topic. Most people think that there should be stricter laws on the care and keeping of exotic animals. Two articles that talk about this issue are “State leaders say lion, tiger owners need more rules than the law of the jungle,” (Newsela) and “Ohio exotic animals band to fix ‘entirely unacceptable’ lack of laws.” (Huffington Post) Both articles say, for various reasons, that there should be more laws on exotic animals.

Bandit was a hybrid half wolf and half dog, he was used for entertainment at a golf course and was abused by an angry man because Bandit tried stealing one of the mans golf balls. The man beat him with his golf club and Bandit suffered from a broken shoulder and now is scared of people. We should be able to own exotic animals for endangered reasons. If an exotic animal is kept in captivity they can be breed and make the population bigger. Exotic animals are also so great for people who have allergies, we can build special bonds with these animals

Since 1990, exotic pets in the U.S. have killed a minimum of 75 people and led to 1,610 health-related incidents (a deceivingly low number, since many exotic pet owners will keep the harm caused by their pets a secret). Disease transmission is another issue. Many exotic pets carry harmful or fatal diseases such as monkeypox and herpes. And an estimated 90% of all reptiles carry and shed salmonella in their feces.

Taking care of your pet properly is not a cheap proposition. People think sometimes that all you have to do is feed and water them and they will pretty much take care of themselves. That is not the case. Every animal needs care above and beyond just daily care. This needs to be taken into consideration if you are going to be a first time pet owner of if you are thinking about getting an exotic pet.

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.

First of all not many accidents happen from exotic animals. Only 3.25 people die to exotic animals animals a year when about 125 people die of car accidents a year. Also if the exotic animal is caged and welfare has been taken care of why not let people have them.

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.

Exotic animals can easily become endangered animals. According to current estimates, a third of the world’s amphibians, one in eight birds, and a quarter of all mammals are endangered. (“Endangered Species”). On average, there are twenty-three states in the United States of America alone that allow you to legally own an exotic animal, and twelve of those you do not even need a permit to acquire them (Loria). This increases the chance of fatality, malnourishment, being endangered, extinction and other issues. Exotic animals being kept can also endanger humans while being in harm's way themselves. Examples of some popular exotic animals some people might not consider exotic are snakes, birds, monkeys, big cats, and turtles. Turtles are the most endangered in the vertebrate groups due to the pet trade. This is because once you get a turtle, you cannot release it again or else it will not survive. Second, big cats are extremely popular in the US. There are around 10,000 tigers being kept as pets. This means there are more tigers kept as pets than in the wild. Statistically, since 1990 there have been 21 human deaths, 246 maulings, and 143 wild-cat deaths in captivity. Next, monkeys are also incredibly popular. Monkeys can carry various diseases such as Herpes B-Virus, Monkeypox, Ebola, and many more. Owning a monkey is bad for the monkey and for the owner. Additionally, there are over 150,000 parrots smuggled into the U.S. every year. Birds are meant to fly and be free, not to have their wings clipped and be confined into a tiny space. They have lost their whole life, and freedom so they can be called “pretty bird” and fed little pellets. Lastly, are the snakes. Snakes are everywhere around the world, ranging in color, shape, size, and species. In the last decade, more than 12 people have been killed from boa constrictor incidents, and with even more injuries. Snakes are also very dangerous to humans. Not only do a lot of