Persuasive Speech On Banning Wild Animals

I. (Gain Attention) Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! The notion of seeing a lion running through your backyard or having a tiger in your bathroom might seem like the punch line of a joke or a scene from a comedy. But the possibility of either of these situations occurring is much more common than one may think.
II. (Reveal Topic) Only eighteen states in the US currently have laws banning the ownership of all exotic species as pets. The other 32 allow the ownership of exotic species in some capacity. Some of these states ban certain very dangerous species while others, including Wisconsin, have no bans in place on the ownership of wild animals.
III. What is the benefit of owning these animals? To impress friends or family? To be different? To live on the wild side? The consequences of owning these creatures are often disregarded.
IV. (Preview Body) While there is the
obvious threat of injury to the owner of the animal, the animal's welfare and possible threats to the ecosystem also pose severe risks that are often not taken into consideration.
Body
I. Owning an exotic pet jeopardizes the well-being of pet and owner alike. A. These animals are wild and are not meant to be cared for by humans. 1. While the babies are undeniably cute and may seem harmless, in a very short amount of time they will be grown and fully capable of seriously injuring, or even killing, their owner. B. According to data collected by Live Science, from 1990 to 2010, 1,610 injuries caused by exotic pets were reported. 75 of these accidents resulted in fatalities. 1. These creatures are meant to be in the wild fending for themselves. They are not meant to live in a suburb of Chicago with a two parents and three kids. 2. The lashing out of these animals is an instinctual response to a perceived threat. The animals cannot be blamed for acting in ways that are internally programmed. a. Even dogs, which we believe to be domesticated animals, are known to sometimes lash out and harm a human. How, then, can we expect a real wild animal to not harm someone, owner or otherwise? A. Exotic animals cannot be properly cared for in domestic situations. 1. Tigers are not meant to be fed steaks from the grocery store. Pythons should not spend their days basking under a heat lamp. Elephants should not be feasting on a lawn in Missouri. 1. These animals are specifically adapted to their rightful environments, not a residence in the United States. B. In Laurie Hess's article Exotic Animals: Appropriately Owned Pets or Inappropriately Kept Problems? in the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, a panel of veterinarians was questioned on their professional opinions regarding the care of exotic species. 1. All the doctors agreed that while some exotic species such as rabbits, ferrets, and small birds such as canaries can be cared for by humans, proper training in how to handle to animals is a must. More complex species, such as reptiles, should be left to professionals for adequate care. a. Forcing the animals to suffer through these conditions is inhumane. B. While it is required in some states that a permit be obtained before an exotic animal can be purchased, it is easy to obtain a permit without much formal training. 1. It is essentially pointless to have a permit system in place if it can be easily bypassed. The point of making the owner obtain a permit is to ensure that the owner knows how to care for the animal.
(Transition: Along with being a danger to pet and owner alike, non-native species also pose a threat to the native ecosystem.)
III. Introducing exotic animals to a new area can have devastating effects on the surrounding ecosystem. B. Exotic animals can escape of be released like any other animal. 1. It is extremely sad to see a stray dog on the side of the street and think about the family that abandoned the poor, helpless thing. But would you feel so sad if you saw a Burmese python slithering down the side of the highway rather than a scared dog frantically avoiding cars? 2. A stray dog may be sad, but a loose exotic snake is something that should evoke a stronger emotion: fear. 3. Robert Brown, a former Professor of Law at Indiana University-Bloomington, discusses in the Indiana Law Journal the epidemic of a growing wild python population in Florida. 4. Pythons are predators: they can grow up to 30 feet long and are capable to crushing anything from a rabbit to a small child to death. 5. When these animals escape or are set free by an owner who realizes they can no longer care for their pet, the whole world becomes their oyster. 6. Once these animals are loose, there is no way to effectively control their feeding or breeding habits. a. While a record can be kept of how many Burmese pythons have been sold in the US, it would be impossible to calculate how many are currently in the wild due to escaped pets and subsequent breeding. B. Animals are the number one spreader of disease around the world. 1. The black plague was carried by rats. Humans were infected when fleas who had bitten an infected rat bit a human. 2. Sheila Bryant states in her article Don't Try This at Home: Exotic Native and Nonnative Species in our Backyard in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Information, exotic animals also carry and spread new diseases that had not previously been in the area. a.
An overwhelming majority, approximately 75%, of new diseases are bred in animals. b. A well known example of a widespread disease triggered by animals was the outbreak of SARS, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, in 2003 in China. This disease was spread primarily by infected birds and caused a pandemic. C. New diseases pose an even bigger threat to children. 1. Larry K. Pickering, MD, senior advisor to the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warns that children are more susceptible to diseases, especially novel ones, because their immune systems are much less developed.
(Transition: After understanding the universal risks posed by exotic pet ownership, I would like to discuss what can and should be done to discuss this problem.)
IV. Congress should pass legislation that would make a uniform policy addressing the ownership of exotic pets A. Animals that can be an extreme threat to humans should be outlawed without further
question. 1. This would include, but not be limited to, the ownership of large cats, bears, elephants, primates, snakes that are venomous or grow to be over 5 feet long, and certain reptiles. B. Restrictions would be placed on all animals that would be capable of potentially harming a human, but are not likely to kill. 1. Animals that are likely to spread new diseases would belong in this category. C. Finally, the ownership of animals traditionally thought of as domestic pets would be allowed without restriction. 1. I think small mammals such as rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pigs belong in this category. a. They do not pose a substantial threat to humans, and therefore should be allowed to be kept as pets. D. A uniform, nationwide law would ensure that enforcement of said laws would be possible. 1. Leaving legislation up to individual states leads to great disparity. a. While owning a cougar may be legal in Nevada, it is not in California. If this cougar were to escape and make its way to California and harm someone, would the owner be punished? This ambiguity leads to serious issues in law enforcement. E. Legislation like this has been successfully implemented throughout Europe. 1. The Directorate-General for Environment within the European Commission reports that most states in the European Union have laws restricting the ownership and market of exotic pets. a. These laws help combat aforementioned issues such as that of invasive species and animal mistreatment.
Conclusion
I. Overall, owning an exotic pet does not benefit the owner or the pet.
II. While "I have a baboon in my basement!" may be an interesting conversation starter, the welfare of both parties must be considered; the baboon will not be happy living in a basement and poses a threat to its owner.
III. If Congress were to pass restrictions on the ownership of exotic pets, enforcement of said restrictions would be feasible.
IV. I urge you to think about all of the positive benefits of supporting this legislation and encourage your friends to do the same.