Is it OK for people to keep exotic pets?
Franchise Help (2020) indicates that approximately 80 million homes in the United States have pets. It represents almost half of all households in the American continent (Franchise Help, 2020). Many people in the United States and other parts of the world have regarded pets as man’s best friend since the ancient period. Notably, their tastes in the kind of pet to keep are both dynamic and varied (Franchise Help, 2020). Besides domestic pets such as birds, cats, and dogs, some people in the society have opted for exotic kinds such as fish, lizards, scorpions, tarantula, hedgehogs, and tortoise. Some people consider these pets to provide them with an incredible learning experience. In this case, they find it fascinating, learning their complicated social interactions and unique behaviors. However, this paper will explore the often-overlooked dangers of exotic pets in homes. Although many people would consider keeping exotic pets for the incredible learning experience that they offer, the pets cause zoonotic diseases, undermine public safety, threaten the existence of other animals, subjects the pets to suffering, disrupts gene flow, fuels illegal pet trade, involve animal cruelty, and introduce new diseases to native animals.
First, exotic pets can cause zoonotic diseases. Exotics pets such as monkeys, bats, and lizards can carry elements that can cause disease in human beings. In some cases, the dangerous infections from these animals can lead to pandemics. For example, the North American bats are associated with yersiniosis, histoplasmosis, rabies, and salmonellosis. Whereas it is illegal to handle bats in the United States, this is legal in other regions of the world such as the United Kingdom. According to Yasobant et al (2019), cases of zoonotic disease have been increasing worldwide due to enhanced interaction between animals and human beings. This condition has been attributed to keeping exotic animals as pets in various parts of the world (Yasobant et al., 2019). This shows that keeping exotic pets enhances the interaction between animals carrying infections and human beings. For instance, as people touch the animals, the disease-causing agencies move are moved to the human body, hence cause zoonotic diseases. Besides, people have not invested much in determining preventive and curative drugs for diseases caused by native animals. The case is deferent with exotic pets, where little has been done to prevent and cure zoonotic infections. Therefore, people should not keep exotic pets since they are associated with zoonotic diseases.
Secondly, exotic pets undermine public safety. Since they operate on instinct, wild animals such as cheetah and lion do not forget their wild side even if they are kept from their young age. Hence, they can attack human beings, posing a risk to people who kept them, neighbors, and other people in a community. In the United States, all states except four have laws and policies to restrict the keeping of exotic pets to safeguard people from attacks by these animals. In 2011, Terry Thompson, a resident of Ohio, let loose fifty-six exotic pets, which included eighteen tigers (Brulliard, 2019). He later committed suicide (Brulliard, 2019). Some people, who keep exotic pets, do not have ideal gauges and protective measures to curb from causing to human beings. In some cases, they get used to the animals to the point that they forget that those pets have a wild side. Besides, some people, such as Thompson, may deliberately want to injure others by letting loose their animals due to their reasons. In the long-run, attack on human beings by these animals is rampant. Thus, people should be encouraged to keep exotic pets since they have a wild side, hence likely to attack human beings and undermine public safety.
Thirdly, keeping exotic pets threaten the existence of other animals. The exotic pets grow and multiply hence overwhelming the available resources at home. In such a case, people are forced to drive them out to the wild. Thus, they enhance the competition for food and water, making them scarce in some locality (Bush et al., 2014). This can lead to the death of many other wild animals. For example, Burmese pythons were released into the wild by their owner, affecting the existence of other snakes and animals in Floridian wild (Janos, 2020). The snakes had been brought in as exotic pets in the 1980s when the exotic pet trade was at its peak. Like native animals, exotic pets grow in size and reproduce. Hence, more food, space, and care is required. In some cases, the supply of food and other necessities can be limited. In this case, releasing the pets to the wild exerts more pressure on the available resources. For instance, the available food in the wild can be scarce for both the released exotic pets and animals that have been living in the wild all their lives. Hence, some may die to hunger and inability to survive on the now, limited necessities. Therefore, people in society should be allowed to keep exotic pets since they pose a danger to other animals in the wild if they later released.
Besides, keeping exotic pets only subjects the wild animals to suffering. Wild animals are not used to being confined. When they are captured and confined, they are depressed. Also, exotic animals are used to feeding on a wide range of foods that are only available in the wild. Such a unique is hard to establish under the typical circumstance to maintain the health of the animals. The animals also require exercise to keep them healthy. Unlike in the wild, the animals’ movements, exercise is restricted. Consequently, the animals become weak and prone to succumb to depression. Thus, keeping the animals only subjects them to suffering since they are forced to live a new kind of life, which is inappropriate to the animals. Human beings cannot provide living conditions that are similar to the wild. Unlike native animals, which are conditioned to live in a confined environment and specific diets, exotic animals end up suffering if kept as pets. Hence, people in the society should not keep entertaining the culture of keeping exotic animals as pets, since it only subjects them to suffering.
Furthermore, keeping exotic animals disrupts the gene flow and risk making animals extinct. Animals in the wild are always passing on genes to the next generations. If they are taken by people and confined, their ability to pass the genes to the next generations is significantly disrupted. In some cases, particular types of animals in the wild risk becoming extinct since most of them have been captured and confined by people in their homes and private places. For example, more tigers in the United States are exotic pets. Only a few are in the wild, and hence, they risk becoming extinct due to disrupted passage of genes to the next generations. Since the passage of genes is disrupted, the reproduction rate is low. In this case, there are fewer or no additional animals in the wild that are born to replace the ones that die. Given that many people are keeping various kinds of pets in society, many animals in wild risk becoming extinct. For this reason, people should be encouraged to keep exotic animals as pets.
Also, keeping exotic pets fuels illegal pet trade in the various parts of the world. Notably, the pet trade industry is worth $7 billion and is still growing owing to the increasing population in the world and enhanced desire for pets among people. In this case, people are tempted to engage in smuggling and poaching of endangered animals in various parts of the world (Bush et al., 2014). Typically, smuggling and poaching are activities that are illegal in many countries around the globe. Consequently, people involved in these activities are subjected to considerably hefty fines and jail terms. The culture of keeping exotic pets presents an available market and overall demand for the animals, hence fueling these illegal activities. With the hard economic times all over the world, people are forced to poach and smuggle exotics pets to earn an income due to the availability of ready buyers. If people are allowed to keep exotic pets, the situation is likely to continue and become worse. Therefore, people in all countries in the world should be encouraged to continue keeping wild animals as pets since; it leads to enhanced levels of the illegal pet trade.
Moreover, the keeping of exotic animals amounts to animals crusty. Snatching animals from the natural habitats in the wild is cruel since it causes immense pain and stress in the animals. Typically, many pet lovers prefer taking small ones with a perception that they will grow up conditioned to live in a domestic setting. This deprives the young animals’ motherly love and care, which is essential. Also, the condition under which the animals are captured and carried to the homes is distressing to the animals. For instance, some of them, such as antelopes, are dehorned to prevent them from injuring people. On the other hand, fangs are removed in snakes to make them harmless. As a result, some of the animals die to depression, suffocation, hunger, and shock. Hence, people should be not kept exotic animals since to subjects the animals to undue cruelty.
Also, the keeping of wild animals introduces new illnesses to native animals. After being brought at home, exotic animals sometimes interact with native ones. In this case, they may share the same shelters and feeding ground. In this case, disease-causing agents can move from exotic animals to native ones. Besides, the animals are captured and transported into homes without being adequately tested. Hence, they infect native animals with diseases. For example, a mad cow disease can be transmitted from monkey to cattle, goats, and sheep. If a monkey is captured from the wild without being adequately tested, it risks carrying the infectious to native animals. Consequently, this may lead to the death of native animals and hence a loss to people. Thus, people should not be encouraged to keep exotic animals since they are likely to infect natives with new diseases.
Nevertheless, people may argue that keeping wild animals present a suitable group for an incredible learning experience. In this case, such people can learn about the unique behavior of exotic animals. Besides, they are to explore how animals interact with human beings and other native animals (Bush et al., 2014). The overall experience is typically fascinating. However, these people can animal zoos visit game parks and has similar experiences. Besides, visiting these places, people can watch animals dedicated to TV channels and read more about the animals of their interest. In this case, they can curb the adverse effects that are associated with keeping wild animals in their homes. Hence, people should opt for alternatives if learning about animals instead of keeping exotic pets in their homes.
Conclusively, many people consider keeping exotic pets as a source of incredible learning. However, keeping exotic animals can pose dangers that are often overlooked by people in society. Exotic pets cause zoonotic diseases, which undermines health. The diseases can affect the owners of the pets and other people close to the animals. The animals can also attack people and hence, undermine public safety. The exotic pets threaten the existence of other animals if they later released back into the wild. Besides, keeping the animals subjects them to undue suffering. The whole process of capturing, transporting, and keeping the exotic animals as pets involved in animal cruelty, which further enhances their suffering. Moreover, keeping exotic animals disrupts gene flow and, in some cases, may lead to the extinction of the concerned animal. The practice also fuels illegal pet trade, which is unlawful in many countries in the world. It also introduces new diseases to native animals.
Works Cited
Brulliard. K. (2019). The trouble with tigers in America. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/captive-tigers-america/
Bush, E. R., Baker, S. E., & Macdonald, D. W. (2014). Global Trade in Exotic Pets 2006-2012. Conservation Biology, 28(3), 663–676. Retrieved from https://sci-hub.tw/10.1111/cobi.12240
Franchise Help (2020) “Pet Care Industry Analysis 2020 – Cost & Trends”. Retrieved from https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/pet-care-industry-analysis-2020-cost-trends/
Janos. A. (2020). How Burmese Pythons Took Over the Florida Everglades. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/news/burmese-python-invasion-florida-everglades
Warwick, C., Steedman, C., Jessop, M., Arena, P., Pilny, A., & Nicholas, E. (2018). Exotic pet suitability: Understanding some problems and using a labeling system to aid animal welfare, environment, and consumer protection. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 26, 17–26. Retrieved from https://sci-hub.tw/10.1016/j.jveb.2018.03.015
Yasobant, S., Saxena, D., Bruchhausen, W., Memon, F. Z., & Falkenberg, T. (2019). Multi-sectoral prioritization of zoonotic diseases: One health perspective from Ahmedabad, India. PLOS ONE, 14(7), p. 1-13. Retrieved from https://sci-hub.tw/10.1371/journal.pone.0220152