Americas Most Dangerous Exotic Pets and Exotic Pet Owners is airing in the UK but not available on TV in the U.S. yet. The BBC really did an excellent job of showing what life in captivity is really like for wild cats, bears and primates in the U.S.
If you think about every question you would want to ask of an exotic animal breeder/ dealer/ owner, they ask it in this show and get some scary answers.
Big Cats make BAD pets because male or female, neutered or not, they all spray bucket loads of urine to mark their territory. There is no way to prevent them from doing this natural behavior that they use to mark many square miles of territory; and that means they are built to pee all day.
Pound for pound, big cats are 12 times stronger than a man, so when they have contact with people, even in play, the results are often tragic. Big cats grow fast and quickly become the hard wired killers they were designed to be. After the novelty of owning a big cat wears off and you no longer want it, nobody will take your big cat. You’ll be left with an animal you can’t get rid of that costs you thousands of dollars each year to properly maintain.
It’s just not fair to the cat either. They were meant to roam free, choose their own mates and make their own choices. Life in a house or a cage is like living in a jail cell for a crime they didn’t commit.
If people just Say NO to buying exotic cats as pets, then abusers won’t be breeding them for lives of confinement and deprivation.
Far From The Forests Of The Night was a feature article of Natural History magazine detailing America’s privately-owned tiger crisis and debunking the claims of exhibitors. It contains lot of good quotes from experts about how “captivity does not equal domesticity” and how privately-owned tigers “should not be used as an excuse for complacency about the need to conserve a natural, native habitat for their wild-dwelling brethren.”
See how many big cats we have been asked to take but have had to turn away.
Please call us at 708-714-6527 because we have a mission for you about a 9 month old tiger selling on the Internet. Her name is Tasha .good luck!
Shanna do you have an update?
I agree here….i do.
This is scary and alarming to me. I would not have believed it if I had not looked it up for myself! I could buy a lion or tiger cub for a mere $2,000.00 to $5,000.00 just like that. Some places require a so called "license or permit" but some do not. No one asks what purpose would these animals serve? Oh my God! This is slavery for these poor creatures who should be growing up in the wild even with all the dangers and hazards that entails that is what thy are built, bred, to survive thrive or die…but that IS nature…not to be ANYBODY'S PET no matter how rich or famous they are. This sickens my stomach as much as those poachers who slaughter these beautiful animals to near extinction! What is being done about STOPPING THE SALE OF THESE BIG CATS AS WELL AS ALL EXOTIC ANIMALS THAT BELONG IN THE WILD? In addition how can those that currently own these animals be forced to relinquesh them to the proper authorities or at the very least be supervised that they maintain a safe a proper enviroment for those unfortunate not to be able to leave.
Hi, I just found out about this today, and it is sickening how widespread this industry is. I found a good webpage that has Bills in various states where you can petition or write your local Representative….
https://www.votervoice.net/BCR/Campaigns
Yes its stopped me from owning one.
Yes its stopped me from owning one.
I don't really agree with keeping exotic animals as pets in the first place. It just seems wrong to me regardless of which animal it is. They were meant to roam free and also their wild instincts would eventually kick in. Needless to say I'll stick with my little house cats.
I agree!
I agree!
I don't really agree with keeping exotic animals as pets in the first place. It just seems wrong to me regardless of which animal it is. They were meant to roam free and also their wild instincts would eventually kick in. Needless to say I'll stick with my little house cats.
Wow
What about Bengal cats?
My next door neighbour had to get rid of her Bengal cat because it started attacking her young toddlers.
I read about people keeping exotic animals as pets such as lions, tigers, monkeys in a National Geographic article. I've been doing more research into it and I just can't believe how ignorant people are. These animals are not meant to be pets, they are wild animals who need to be in their natural habitats. Not to be called Fluffy and taught tricks! It's absolutely horrendous!
absolutely and I am also in favour of getting rid of zoos and circus's. wild animals need to be in their natural habitats.
I just saw photos on actor Vin Diesel’s Facebook page he has a Liger as a pet please visit his page and let him know this is not right! I was a fan not anymore. These public figures need to be told that is unacceptable!
Does French Montana still have those Tigers as pets? All I can find are stories stating he 'rented' them and/or lied to PETA to keep them in his home. I just want to know what happened to them
I always wanted to get a mountain lion. I checked into the permits and laws and was fine with that but this article has given me some new things to think about. I am seriously having second thought now which sucks.
but they're so pretty 🙁
I truly hope you reconsidered. Wild animals are meant to be in the wild. People who "deal" in them are only in it to make money, not to benefit the animals. If you truly love animals, you will stand up for their right to be free.
It's a lot more than money that separates owning an exotic animal and a domestic animal. They are very
different.
i agree to i can see a hosp. for them but not keeping them
I always wanted a chetah they are my favorite cat but these articles have changed my mind. Leave them in the wild and let them be. My cat keeps trying to get out the door every time I go out. It is hard to keep a cat of any size inside.
Honestly I do not agree with circuses but I think zoos are important and teach people about wildlife and why its important to care about it. A lot of animals are almost extinct in the wild but are thriving in zoos, I would rather have some in zoos rather than having none left at all. Zoos give the animals tons of enrichment, they give them the correct medical care, diets, I think that its a fine that there are big cats in zoos (Obviously I am not talking about roadside zoos). I do not think big cats make good pets for most people but I think some people really do care about animals, in my opinion if someone got a big cat legally, got the permits and made the correct size habitats, the right diet, provided enrichment, made sure they got medical care, I think its okay for them to own those animals because they are taking good care of them. I think that exotic animals that were bred in captivity still have wild instincts but they it is not like take a wild tiger and putting it in a cage, all the captive born tiger knows is the cage, so unless the cage is small, I do not think they would have this longing for free roaming, because it is not used to it. I think though that its important to let big cats do their natural behaviors because its part of their instincts.
I love big cats and want to help save them so much