PERSPECTIVE | EDUCATION
Why You Shouldn't Keep Wild Animals as Pets
Let animals stay in the wild where they are meant to be
Animals are adorable-even the ones that live in the wild. With all the media content featuring people holding koalas or petting a tiger, some may assume these species would make a great and unique pet. While I highly recommend learning all you can about your favorite animal, you should not purchase an exotic pet to keep in your home. Although adorable, wild animals can also be aggressive and unpredictable. This is not ideal for a pet that you have to claim responsibility for.
It may be obvious that you cannot bring a giraffe to your yard, but even the smaller animals should not be taken in as pets. Take lemurs, for example. They may appear to be small (and cute!) enough to reside in your home, but this is not the case. They can bite, scratch, and make a lot of noise. Plus, their climbing skills will make it difficult to keep anything out of their reach.
There are many reasons you shouldn’t adopt an exotic pet, so let’s get into a few of the most convincing.
Wild animals can be dangerous.
Any interaction with a wild animal can be dangerous. Domesticated animals like dogs and cats have been tamed over the years, and while wild animals can form habits, it does not mean that they will always behave. There have been plenty of incidents where owners have been killed by their beloved exotic pets. For example, in 2006, a woman in Minnesota was killed by a tiger she kept on the property. She owned many tigers throughout her life and even led operations for a facility that bred and sold them, but animals can be unpredictable even to those with experience.
Plus, wild animals can devastate your home. Some animals use scent marking and will not hesitate to mark themselves all over your house. They can also scratch, bite, knock things over, and use the bathroom wherever they please.
If the animal manages to escape, you will also be placing your neighbors (and the animal itself) in danger. A zebra cobra that recently escaped its home in Raleigh, NC was found in a neighbor’s property before disappearing again. While the cobra was eventually found, the owners faced backlash from the community. Neighbors had spent a day fearing they (or their children or pets) would run into the snake. With the ability to spit venom and bite, this snake could cause harm (or potentially death), especially when exploring a stressful new environment. Fortunately, the snake hid in some paneling until it was quickly captured by experts, so no one was harmed.
Nonnative species can also pose a threat to the environment if released and able to reproduce or crossbreed. Another example involving snakes: the Florida Everglades has experienced a major problem with the number of Burmese pythons in the area. While the species is native to South Asia, Burmese pythons became popular in Florida as exotic pets, and breeding facilities were created to keep up with the demand. With threats like hurricanes that can upend secure structures for breeding facilities and people who released their pet pythons when they no longer wanted them, the Everglades became home to a reproducing population of Burmese pythons. This has caused significant damage to the native species of the area, and there have been many unsuccessful efforts to combat their population.
You may not know their needs or be able to fulfill them.
Like humans, animals have many needs. Some are more particular than others and may require native plants and food to thrive. Animals will require enough space for them to live in; while it has to be comfortable for them, their environment will also have to prevent any chances of escape. This will likely not be possible in your average suburban neighborhood.
Aside from their basic needs, animals have social needs. Some animals, like primates, have complex social structures. They will not be fulfilled by human interaction alone; they need other individuals of their species to interact with. You may think purchasing more than one will suffice as a solution to this, but it can be more tricky than that. Some animals have conflicting personalities, which will cause more problems if you don’t have the ability to separate them.
Animals also require enrichment activities. This takes time and money. If you think domestic pets can be expensive, their cost is relatively low compared to exotic animals. You will also likely have to find a vet that specializes in the species for checkups and any medical concerns. With the cost of medical, food, habitat, care, and any enrichment costs, an exotic pet will quickly accumulate high expenses.
Wild animal trafficking is ugly.
It is not an easy process to transport exotic animals from country to country. There are plenty of policy limitations, and oftentimes animal trafficking is associated with other illegal activities, like trafficking drugs and firearms. In most cases, this is done illegally and at risk to the animal's life. If transported illicitly, the animal will likely be drugged and shoved into small items to prevent detection. Many animals die in transit, and the ones that survive are likely kept at breeding facilities to fulfill the demand for exotic pets.
While this harms the trafficked animals, this can also be detrimental to the wild population. Some exotic species, like parrots and lemurs, are in fact endangered. These species need all the help they can get to grow their population numbers in the wild, and they need protection instead of a price tag on their head.
Wild animals can transmit diseases.
While some exotic pets come from breeding facilities, others are transported from different countries, which provides opportunities to spread disease. Depending on the species, wild animals can spread diseases such as salmonella, rabies, tuberculosis, and even the bubonic plague. Some species can also catch diseases from us, which can be fatal for the animal.
If the animal is kept outdoors/in a separate living space and you take proper sanitation precautions, this likely will not be as much of an issue. If you expect to cuddle with your exotic pet and allow it to roam your home freely, however, it could be.
Wild animals may look cute, but they are wild. Many zoos and animal centers are used for research, gene pools, and rehabilitation purposes. They are handled based on protocols by professionals who have researched the species and proper care. Even then, some conditions are not met. Life spans are generally longer in the wild than in captivity, but we need to learn about animals and have space to care for the injured and those unable to be introduced back into the wild.
If you love animals and want to be around them, there are better options than caging them in your home. Perhaps you can pursue a wildlife career where you will be able to study and care for animals in a better environment. There are also many volunteer opportunities in the wildlife field where, after some training, you may be able to assist with basic care. Plus, you can always visit zoos or plan an ecotourism trip that might get you closer to wildlife sightings.
Still adamant about adopting an exotic pet? At least take the proper precautions. Look for a reputable rescue group to adopt from, ensure your pet will have a comfortable and secure enclosure, fully understand the care and financial requirements, know the risks, and do NOT release your pet into the wild if you no longer can care for it.
Wildlife is already facing threats like habitat loss and climate change…we should decrease the demand for trafficking as much as we can and prevent the introduction of invasive species. Plus, it doesn’t help the animal’s reputation when it escapes an enclosure and the community fears it will harm them.
Think of your favorite wild animal. Do you think it would be happier outside or in a cage? The beauty of wild animals is their freedom, not their dispositions as pets, so who are we to take that away from them?
