Exotic Animals
Andrea Davis
Mrs. Smith
ENGL 1101
15 November 2011
Exotic Animals Are More than Just Pets The exotic animal trade is a growing industry in which exotic animals are bred, sold, and traded in massive amounts. Millions of exotic animals are being kept in private residences, small roadside zoos, and traveling wild animal exhibits. Sadly, beautiful and majestic animals are being held captive in unfortunate living conditions. They are being deprived the enrichment and companionship that they require to develop and flourish effectively as if they were living in the wild. These mistreated animals can be extremely dangerous to human health, the safety of the public, and the animals themselves. Many exotic animal attacks have been front page news; most recently, the release and killing of forty-nine exotic animals in Zanesville, Ohio, was said to be the worst exotic animal incident in United States history. This dangerous incident and those like it need to be thoroughly investigated, and legislation must be improved to avoid future incidents. Stricter laws will ensure exotic animals are being cared for humanely and the public is protected.
Common exotic animals that are being purchased for private ownership or entertainment purposes are large game cats, bears, wolves, zebras, reptiles, birds, and nonhuman primates. The genetic anomalies of zedonks, crossbreeding zebras with donkeys, are even being advertised for sale (Green). All of these exotic animals may seem cute and cuddly in zoos and other exhibits, but they are extremely dangerous if not cared for appropriately. The care of exotic animals can be expensive, and many people will purchase these animals unaware of the costs that are required to maintain the animal’s health and environment. Many investigations into exotic animal attacks have revealed that these animals are not being cared for in humane ways. They were not being fed adequately and have not received appropriate medical care. The conditions these
Mrs. Smith
ENGL 1101
15 November 2011
Exotic Animals Are More than Just Pets The exotic animal trade is a growing industry in which exotic animals are bred, sold, and traded in massive amounts. Millions of exotic animals are being kept in private residences, small roadside zoos, and traveling wild animal exhibits. Sadly, beautiful and majestic animals are being held captive in unfortunate living conditions. They are being deprived the enrichment and companionship that they require to develop and flourish effectively as if they were living in the wild. These mistreated animals can be extremely dangerous to human health, the safety of the public, and the animals themselves. Many exotic animal attacks have been front page news; most recently, the release and killing of forty-nine exotic animals in Zanesville, Ohio, was said to be the worst exotic animal incident in United States history. This dangerous incident and those like it need to be thoroughly investigated, and legislation must be improved to avoid future incidents. Stricter laws will ensure exotic animals are being cared for humanely and the public is protected.
Common exotic animals that are being purchased for private ownership or entertainment purposes are large game cats, bears, wolves, zebras, reptiles, birds, and nonhuman primates. The genetic anomalies of zedonks, crossbreeding zebras with donkeys, are even being advertised for sale (Green). All of these exotic animals may seem cute and cuddly in zoos and other exhibits, but they are extremely dangerous if not cared for appropriately. The care of exotic animals can be expensive, and many people will purchase these animals unaware of the costs that are required to maintain the animal’s health and environment. Many investigations into exotic animal attacks have revealed that these animals are not being cared for in humane ways. They were not being fed adequately and have not received appropriate medical care. The conditions these
Cited: Eaton, Dan. “Exotic Animals: Easy to Buy at Online Auctions.” 19 October 2011. Bizjournals.com. Web. 15 November 2011. Green, Alan. Animal Underworld: Inside America’s Black Market for Rare and Exotic Species. PublicAffairs. New York. 1999. iBook Collection. Apple iPad file. 15 November 2011. IUCN. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. Iucnredlist.org. Web. 15 November 2011. Kirpalani, Reshma. “Are Exotic Animals Safe Pets?” 17 June 2011. ABCnews.com. Web. 15 November 2011. Parsell, Reed. “A Life Sentence: The Sad and Dangerous Realities of Exotic Animals in Private Hands.” 2007. Bornfreeusa.org. Web. 15 November 2011. USDA. United States Department of Agriculture. Government and Professional Resources: Animal Welfare Act. 8 November 2011. USDA.gov. Web. 15 November 2011. Whyte, Chelsea. “Exotic Pets USA: Tigers, Big Bucks, and Organized Crime.” 21 October 2011. Newscientist.com. Web. 15 November 2011.