Wild at Home

Persuasive Speech Outline
Topic: Exotic animals do not make good pets
Specific Purpose: To convince the audience that even though the baby versions of wild animals are cute, they don 't stay that way forever. Therefore wild animals should not be pets.
Central Idea: Wild animals should not be kept as pets, because it is bad for us as owners, bad for the animals themselves and even bad for the environment.
Introduction
Attention Getter: Picture this, you are hiking in the woods and come across a baby bear. There is no sign of it mother and it looks hungry, what would you do? According to the center for veterinary health sciences: the emotional appeal baby animals have on humans will allow you to look past the dangers of the animal and take care of it, possibly even taking it home with you. But when you think about it, would taking home a wild animal be such a good? Topic Introduction: Today I will try to convince you that even though the baby versions of wild animals are cute, they don 't stay that way forever. Animals including: Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Bears, Reptiles and non-human primates do indeed grow up, and can possibly become dangerous, therefore should not be kept as pets. Relate the topic to your audience: I 'm sure at one moment in your life, you have all wanted a wild animal as a pet. Relate the topic to you as a speaker: I know I did. When I was younger I wanted a baby panda. But, while doing my research for this speech I realize what a bad idea that would have been. If don 't believe me, by the end of this speech I will have hopefully convinced you that: Preview your main points: wild animals should not be kept as a pets, by first discussing why it is bad for the animals. Then why it is bad for the owner, and finally why it is bad to the environment in general.
Transition Statement: Even though keeping wild animals as pets can be appealing, it is important to remember that keeping a wild animal as a pet is associated with many potential problems, not to mention legal and ethical issues. Also keeping wild animals as pets requires a great deal of research and preparation, as well as provision of ideal housing and diet as well as medical care (which may be very difficult to find). And if you cannot provide these necessities for the animal it can put the animal in danger. Which brings me to my first main point.
Body
I. Keeping a wild animal as a pet can be dangerous for the animal a. Most people can 't provide the right home for Wild animals i. Wild animals have complex behavioral, social, nutritional and psychological needs. Most people simply cannot meet the needs of wild animals kept as "pets".
- For Example: Many monkeys, birds, and wild cats, can all travel several miles in a single day. A walk on a leash through the park won 't cut it.

Transition Statement: Exotic animals, by definition are not domesticated as well as unpredictable. Their behavior may change with seasons or life cycles in ways we don 't understand. They also rarely bond with their owners. Pet primates, big cats, and reptiles have attacked and seriously injured their owners. Which brings me to my next point, of why wild animals are also dangerous to their owners. II. Keeping a wild animal as a pet can also be dangerous to the owner a. You could get hurt. i. Keeping wild animals as pets can be dangerous. They can bite, scratch, attack their owners, and their owner 's children and guests. ii. According to livesceince.com there has been 1,610 incidents involving exotic pets and 75 deaths from 1990-2011. iii. Examples from thedailygreen.com: * In 2000 a three year old boy had his arm bitten off by his uncle 's "pet" tiger. b .You could get sick. i. As a dealer of exotic animals put it" If it walks, crawls, slithers, or flies, chances are we sell it here" This is also true with their diseases. ii. Wild animals carry diseases dangerous to humans. Some diseases are not curable and can be fatal. Diseases include rabies, distemper, herpes viruses, salmonella, polio, tuberculosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and bubonic plague. Wild animals also harbor parasites, such as tape worms, flukes, and protozoa. iii. According to The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: 90% of all reptiles carry and shed salmonella in their feces or some form of intestinal bacteria that can be transferred to their owners.

Transition Statement: Now that you know some of the negative effects on the animal and the owner. I find it is also important to know how owning a wild animal is also dangerous to the environment.

III. Having wild animals as pets also have a negative effect on the environment. a. Taking them from the wild can endanger the species. I. According to livehonestly.com: To meet the demands of those who keep exotic animals as pets, dealers often have to take the animals from their native lands. This disrupts the ecosystems from which they are stolen, and can disrupt the ecosystems to which they are taken if they escape or are set loose. II. According to the Association of Zoo and Aquariums: Parrots are the world 's most endangered family of birds due to devastation from the international pet trade. The enormous global demand for exotic pets is fueling the illegal capture and trade of millions of birds, mammals and reptiles annually, most of which die while being captured or transported.
Transition Statement: On the PETA website, veterinarian and animal behaviorist says that "people who breed these animals and sell them as pets are playing Russian roulette."
Conclusion
Link the conclusion to the introduction: Although wild animals, especially babies, appeal to our human emotions because they are so “cute”, as adults they can be very destructive and even dangerous to have around. Review the main points and reemphasize your central idea: without proper training you can cause harm to the animals as well as yourself and the environment. Specify desired audience response: if dogs or cats aren 't your thing there are plenty cool and unique animals that you could have as a pet. Memorable concluding statement: The main thing is to leave the wild animals to the professionals. But, if you feel the need to be surrounded by exotic animals there 's always the zoo, and it is so much safer that way.

Works Cited
Owning wild animals statistics. (2011). Retrieved from www.livescience.com
The dangers of keeping wild animals. (2013). Retrieved from www.livehonestly.com
Wild animal attacks. (2000). Retrieved from www.dailygreen.com
Wild animal pets. (2012). Retrieved from www.aspca.org
Wild at home. (2013). Retrieved from www.nationalgeographic.com
Exotic pets. (2012). Retrieved from www.peta.org

Cited: Owning wild animals statistics. (2011). Retrieved from www.livescience.com The dangers of keeping wild animals. (2013). Retrieved from www.livehonestly.com Wild animal attacks. (2000). Retrieved from www.dailygreen.com Wild animal pets. (2012). Retrieved from www.aspca.org Wild at home. (2013). Retrieved from www.nationalgeographic.com Exotic pets. (2012). Retrieved from www.peta.org