Exotic Animals Belong in the Wild

"Exotic Animals Belong in the Wild"

Poll

Do YOU think that exotic animals belong in the wild or the zoo?

• The WILD!

• The ZOO!

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How would you feel if you looked out your window and saw a four-hundred-pound tiger roaming loose in your neighborhood? Or if you heard that several of your neighbor’s wild animals had escaped from his property? Although these scenarios may seem unlikely and you doubt that they could happen to you, they did happen to the residents of towns in New Jersey and Ohio. Situations like this are becoming a common occurrence across the United States. When people are allowed to own exotic animals, such as tigers, monkeys, and snakes, the entire public is put at risk. The government needs to have stricter policies about exotic pet ownership and enforce a ban on all exotic pets.

Open Ended

What type of hook did the author use in the introduction of this essay?

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Most animal rights groups, such as the Humane Society of the United States and Born Free USA, agree that wild animals are not meant to be kept as pets. It is simply in the animals’ nature for them to live in wild environments. All animals need living conditions that best suit their needs. Large animals, such as lions and tigers, need a spacious environment for roaming and exploring. In the wild, these animals can walk as much as several miles every day. So living in a cramped pen or even taking a short walk on a leash each day does not allow them the exercise they require.

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Although some people may argue that wild animals can be trained and domesticated as pets, this argument is not realistic. The process of domesticating an animal can take centuries. Dogs make good pets for people today, but they have been domesticated over thousands of years. Some people even try to make wild animals more domestic by removing the animals’ teeth or claws. But this practice is cruel and unnatural. It is not a solution for taming wild animals.

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Because of exotic animals’ unique needs, many animal experts believe that most individual people do not have the resources or the ability to care for exotic pets. There are plenty of pet dealers who are willing to sell exotic animals, but those merchants are not always honest with their customers. Often people who sell exotic animals are just looking to make a profit. They may not inform their customers about the unique needs of the pet or explain that the pet may be illegal to own in some states.

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A person may excitedly bring home a new exotic pet only to discover over time that he or she cannot care for the pet’s needs. A mountain lion that was once an adorable cub quickly becomes a two-hundred-pound beast that eats ten pounds of meat a day. Or a docile little monkey may suddenly turn into an unexpectedly active, unpredictable handful once it hits two years of age. In many cases, exotic pet owners become overwhelmed by the expenses and commitment required to care for an exotic pet. Owning an exotic pet can be incredibly expensive. On average, it can cost as much as $6,000 a year to care for a single wild cat. And many pet owners care for multiple animals at once.

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Of course, exotic pet owners will argue that they are more than capable of caring for their pets. And many of them do have a special bond with their animals. Yet, even when a person has the money and resources to care for an exotic pet, there are still larger concerns to consider. The danger of owning exotic animals cannot be ignored. Exotic animals are a danger to their owners, to the general public, and even to the environment.

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No matter how responsible a pet owner may be, their animals are still wild creatures. There have been numerous incidents in which a longtime pet, that was properly cared for, suddenly attacked its owner or someone else in their home. No matter how much training a wild animal has received, its wild instincts can still take over in certain circumstances.

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A wild animal’s owner and his or her family are not the only ones in danger. Sometimes exotic pet owners take their animals into public places. Or the animals manage to escape from their enclosed pens or cages. Many wild animals are skilled climbers and can scale tall enclosures. Others manage to leap over a fence or wall meant to contain them. Any of these situations can have devastating consequences. With a wild animal on the loose, no one is safe.

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Even small exotic animals pose a risk to the community. Sugar gliders and kinkajous are nocturnal animals. Many exotic animals carry diseases. Most macaque monkeys have Simian B, which is a virus that is harmful to humans. And it is estimated that 90 percent of reptiles carry Salmonella. Human contact with this type of bacteria can lead to serious illness. The infection is especially a concern for young children and people with weakened immune systems.

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Despite all these concerns, not enough is done to regulate the ownership of exotic pets. A few federal laws do exist, but their focus is more on the importation of animals and the sale of animals across state lines. Individual states are expected to regulate individual ownership. Some states ban exotic animals, some merely require licenses for certain animals, and others do not have any laws in place.

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However, based on all the information presented, it should be clear that an all-out ban on exotic pets is the only reasonable solution. Wild animals are not suitable as pets. Most individual people do not have the resources or the ability to care for them. And even when pet owners act responsibly, unpredictable situations may occur. Why should we continue to allow a known danger to lurk in our communities? Instead, we should ban exotic pet ownership and leave the animals in the wild where they belong.

Multiple Choice

The author includes an effective conclusion at the end of the passage. Which of the following is not a technique the author uses in the conclusion?

• use of bandwagon appeal

• an appeal to the reader’s emotions

• a statement from and a rebuttal of the opposing argument

• an insult to those who oppose the author’s viewpoint

Multiple Choice

Read the sentence from the passage.

When people are allowed to own exotic animals, such as tigers, monkeys, and snakes, the entire public is put at risk.

Which detail from the passage gives evidence to support this idea?

• The process of domesticating an animal can take centuries.

• There are plenty of pet dealers who are willing to sell exotic animals . . .

• And many pet owners care for multiple animals at once.

• Many exotic animals carry diseases.

Multiple Choice

In which statement from the passage does the author use persuasive language to arouse fear in the reader?

• How would you feel if you looked out your window and saw a four-hundred pound tiger roaming loose in your neighborhood?

• All animals need living conditions that best suit their needs.

• Individual states are expected to regulate individual ownership.

• And even when pet owners act responsibly, unpredictable situations may occur.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence from the passage gives irrelevant evidence?

• Most animal rights groups, such as the Humane Society of the United States and Born Free USA, agree that wild animals are not meant to be kept as pets.

• Large animals, such as lions and tigers, need a spacious environment for roaming and exploring.

• On average, it can cost as much as $6,000 a year to care for a single wild cat.

• Sugar gliders and kinkajous are nocturnal animals.