In light of the recent case of wild animal owner Terry Thompson in Zanesville Ohio1 who freed his animals and then committed suicide, I thought I would discuss some enlightening facts on the subject. Wild animal ownership is controversial and many question the need to own a wild animal when there are so many options for owning a more traditional pet.
Some of the conflict over ownership of wild animals involves methods of collection of some of these animals in their native countries, because some of them are threatened or endangered. Most if not all threatened or endangered species are banned from importation, but that doesn’t stop unscrupulous traders from smuggling rare and protected species.
Anson Wong and people like him are a perfect example. Wong is a Malaysian animal broker who illegally collects and exports wild animal species. While the vast majority of exotic animals owned by private individuals are not threatened or endangered and were acquired through legal avenues, trafficking in illegal wild animals is still a multibillion dollar business2. The danger is that if these animals are removed from their native environments, it will hasten their path to extinction.
The next is that people all too often get in over their heads. The thought of having a tiger is intriguing, especially when they are cubs, small, cute, and playful. As they grow however; owners begin to understand that they are a very large carnivore and their misgivings start to increase. They begin to see that these large carnivores are capable of inflicting serious damage, even if they are not intending to harm. The expense of feeding these animals is also more than many people anticipate. Your family cat’s 17.5 pound bag of good quality feline food costs approximately $43 dollars and last about 120 days feeding 2/3 of a cup a day. Translate that into feeding a 500 pound tiger and you can get a feel for the kind of expense you are looking at for an animal that can eat 1 ½ to 2 tons of meat each year3.
In addition to feeding an exotic animal, properly housing such animals can be even more problematic. As we can see from the experience in Ohio some of these animals are dangerous and pose a real risk to your neighbors. I have a hard time keeping my Maltese in my yard let alone a leopard. Adequate space is another consideration that cannot be ignored. The natural range of many of these animals would include hundreds of miles, is it really a good idea to keep them in a home or in an enclosure that will fit in your back yard?
Every state in the union has some regulations concerning the importation, purchase, or ownership of exotic and native wild animals, but they vary widely from state to state. Some states prohibit private ownership completely. Most of those that allow private ownership require the owner to hold a permit and submit to regular inspections through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). A summary of state regulations is found on the Born Free USA website4. These inspections are to ensure that the animals are well cared for, in good health, and are properly fed.
In the case of Mr. Thompson, I see his situation as that of an animal hoarder. From the reports that I have read neighbors had complained previously, but investigations apparently revealed that he had met minimum requirements. He obviously had an unaddressed mental illness, as is the case with most hoarders. The major concern in his case is that the animals he was hoarding posed a significant public safety hazard. In the final analysis there are too many unwanted dogs, cats, and other more traditional pets to give homes to, so I see no need to own or keep wild animals as pets. Most people are unprepared for the reality and responsibility of owning such animals and most unfortunately don’t realize to until it is too late.
1. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/21/ohio-governor-to-sign-crackdown-on-exotic-pets/
2. The Kingpin By Bryan Christy National Geographic January 2010
3. http://www.blackpineanimalpark.com/pets/index.htm 4. http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a2_exotic_animals_summary.php