BORN TO BE WILD
Animal Cruelty Organization
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS?
REAL LIFE STORIES
Sometimes exotic pet owners are killed by their pets or don't take care of them properly. In 2011, a person named Terry Thompson released a horde of wild monkeys, wolves, tigers, and bears that he had kept on their property, later killing himself with his wife. It took weeks to capture all of the animals, and in the process most of them were killed.In another story a person named Charla Nash was called over by her friend to help put a chimpanzee back in it’s cage. While putting it back, the chimp suddenly attacked Charla, biting her hands and face, and sending her to the hospital. Later Charla was the first to receive a double hand and face transplant.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
Exotic pet expert Dr. Patty Khuly, says that keeping wild animals as pets is not a good idea because it is hard to give them the right living conditions outside of their natural habitat. When she was a kid she went to Cuba to see a squirrel monkeys, which had wide open spaces and stimulating environments, unlike the ones owned by people in Florida. " How can anyone possibly meet their complex mix of needs in a suburban environment?", she said. Zoos also agree with her in the fact that wild animals should not be kept outside their environment.
WHATS LEGAL AND ILLEGAL
Every state has different exotic pet laws. Some states are specific about what animals you cant have while others allow pretty much anything to be kept as a pet. In certain parts of the United States, it is illegal to have a wild animal that naturally lives in the state, unless you are transporting the animal to a wildlife rehabilitation facility for care. It is also illegal to provide rehabilitation to wild animals without the proper permits, and to have potentially dangerous exotic pets; such as apes, bears, tigers, alligators, and some venomous and constricting snakes.
THE DANGERS OF KEEPING WILD ANIMALS AS PETS
Wild animals need a real habitat to live in. If they don’t have the needed resources to live, wild animals can get bored or die. They can be dangerous too. Any sudden movement like tripping or sneezing could cause them to attack. They can also carry diseases that might be lethal to humans. Some diseases like malaria don't spread from human to human, but instead spread from animals to humans, and humans to animals. This is why it is important not to have exotic pets as they may carry foreign diseases that could cause an epidemic.
BiG CATS
Big cats such as lions, tigers, and leopards are a common wild pet that people keep. You can by them illegally from some zoos like the Animal Haven Zoo, in Weyauwega Wisconsin.
SNAKES
Another common pet that people keep are dangerous snakes. It is illegal to own snakes like rock pythons and emerald tree boas, but you can have snakes like corn snakes and garden snakes.
PRIMATES
Keeping exotic animals such as chimpanzees and gorillas in your house isn't such a good idea considering the fact that they are usually bigger and a lot stronger than a healthy human.
To learn more visit www.borntobewild.com, or call 920-267-8365
Visit our site to learn more about animal cruelty stories, how to care for animals, and how you can help save animals from cruel owners, or call us at 920-267-8365.
Email: borntobewild@gmail.com
Website: www.borntobewild.com
Location: Sesame Street
Phone: 920-267-8365