Summative Part 1: Editorial Yea or Nay

This editorial focuses on the United Stated and is about how dangerous and generally stupid it is to own wild animals as pets. I agree with this, in most cases. There have been some cases with extenuating circumstances, but in general it is a bad idea to take an inherently wild creature from its home just to satisfy someone’s desire to have an unusual pet. This often ends tragically, for the people and the animals, and the American laws regarding owning exotic animals are ridiculously lax. Even the few laws do not seem to do much to stop those who trade in wild animals.

One of the main points this editorial makes is that there are many cases in which owning an exotic animal as a pet ends badly. One example is of a man named Terry Thompson who released several wild animals such as lions and tigers, then killed himself. When authorities arrived, it was getting dark and they had limited options to ensure the safety of the general public, and so shot all but a few of the animals[1]. That alone is depressing enough, but it is made even more so when you consider that this included eighteen rare Bengal tigers. There are also many cases of people being mauled or killed by exotic animals that they or someone else own. For example, a toddler in Florida was strangled by a Burmese python that was kept as a pet by the family.

American laws regarding the trade and possession of wild animals don’t really do much. In 2003, a federal law was passed forbidding the interstate transport of certain big cats, but doesn’t address monkeys, baboons, or other primates. People don’t even need a license to own exotic animals; only collectors who exhibit them do. Those who own them as “pets” are mostly left alone; eight states don’t even have any rules regarding this. Often, any progress made seems to quickly become undone. An example of this would be when the Ohio Governor Ted Strickland issued an emergency order to ban possession of wild animals, which his successor let expire.

Despite all this, there are some cases where owning an exotic animal as a pet is not necessarily horrible. For example, sometimes wild animals get injured and would die if left on their own. It is possible to take care of an animal until it can survive on its own, then rehabilitate it. If rehabilitation is not an option, then keeping the animal would usually be better than freeing it to die. There is one really well-known story from the seventies, about a tiger named Christian who was raised by people, then rehabilitated into the wild.[2] When his previous owners went to find him, he still remembered them and was very pleased to see them. In many cases, who the owner is and their reason for having a wild animal as a pet are very important. The people who just want these animals as a status symbol, or to breed and make money off of really shouldn’t have any sort of creature as a pet, especially if they treat them poorly.

It is generally a very bad idea for a person to own an exotic pet. It often ends very badly for everyone involved, and is not good for our world as a whole. The American laws regarding owing exotic animals are sadly lacking, so it is far too easy for anybody to get an exotic animal without having to prove that they can and will care for it properly. Even if they could care for the animal well, it isn’t fair that it has to be taken and stuck in a cage all its life because some human wants something to brag about. So, I agree with this editorial.

[1] "Wild Animals Aren't Pets." USA Today. Gannett. Web. 03 Mar. 2016. (http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/story/2011-10-20/wild-animals-pets-Zanesville/50846378/1)

[2] "Christian the Lion." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 03 Mar. 2016. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_the_lion)