Owning a Wild and Exotic Animal

[SnowOwl96]

I have been watching the news as of recently and apparently a woman was attacked by her 55 yr. old pet Chimp in ct. She is in critical care as of this moment.

What is your take on this? Do you think it's dumb to own a wild animal? Should a wild animal such as a chimp, Savannah, tiger ect...be removed from their home because someone wants to have them as a pet? Keep in mind, you can't completely tame a wild animal.

Here's How I see it.

I know you have to have a license in order to own an Exotic, wild animal. You have to study up on the animal before you buy it. If you don't... consider yourself a complete idiot and you really don't deserve to have the animal because you're a complete moron. Honestly i don't think anyone should own a wild animal especially a chimp, ape and/or a tiger. Main reasons being you can't completely tame a wild animal, you can't read the animal 100% and depending on the animal they can overpower you and probably kill you. By owning a wild animal you're probably doing harm not only to yourself but to the animal in many cases.
If the owner is attacked the animal dies basically because it's doing what it knows best. As for the owner, Well owner either lives with the marks on his/her/it's body or they are killed. Which I find kind of sad.

Keep in mind these people are owning animals because they want them for their personal self. Remember this isn't a zoo, there's probably no fencing keeping these animals from escaping form their owner...

What are your thoughts.

[Yahto]

The only person who has the right to own an exotic animal:



Really though, I know the whole story of this woman getting attacked is a big deal, but plenty of people are attacked and badly injured or even killed by dogs, and we consider them domestic animals. You can blame it on poor treatment or whatever you want, but it's still an animal with base instincts, just like humans. Monkeys in particular are extremely dangerous in areas they're native to so it just seems like a bad idea all around to have a chimp for a pet just because you used to read Curious George.

Just studying for a license isn't really enough in the case of this woman being attacked. If you have a 200lb chimp for a pet, you should be physically able to incapacitate it.

[SnowOwl96]

I agree, a dog such as a husky, labrador, dalmatian, great dane ect... is a domestic animal. And yes, people do get hurt if they're not careful with these animals as well. For instance did you know if you look a dog straight in the eyes that signifies that you're challenging them? Yea, also I know you can't train every animal out there due to the fact that it as one of mother nature's creatures has a mind of it's own. If the animal wants to obey and follow it will...if it doesn't then well then yah know the animal isn't going to do whatever it is that you want the animal to do.

Anywho I was referring to taking a wild animal such as a leopard or wolf out of their natural habitat, owning them and possibly ending up in a horrible situation such as the lady with the chimp.
And of course I agree with you on the license thing. It isn't enough to have a license to own a wild animal. It takes so much more than knowledge, licenses, will and strength to own one. Honestly, if anyone should own a monkey, ape, chimp it would have to be the zoo. Any one person that owns a huge monkey for their own personal self has go to be stupid.

Now as for the tiger pic, I'll have to agree on that as well. I've been told by a few people that only certain people can own such amazing wild animals. But i have sadly forgotten their names.

Please, continue... =)

[Wednesday_R]

Rich idiot with exotic pets.
Exotic pets are carnivorous snakehead fish.
Rich idiot can no longer care for carnivorous snakehead fish.
Rich idiot releases fish into local water.
Fish becomes invasive species.
Coastal waters become dangerous.
Authorities are forced to poison waters in order to weed them out.
To present, they are still there.

[Dellago]

The woman who was attacked by the Chimp wasn't the owner apparently. She was a friend of the owner, and had the unfortunate luck of having a dumbass for a friend.

[zekana]

i dont think there is anything wrong with taking in wild animals as pets depending on the animal and its species. if they have the listence and everything,then they are qualified by law however, putting the animal to sleep when it attacks is wrong. many cases it was later found out the animal was threatened or there was an outside cause like the owner using a new perfume or cleaning agent or the owner decided to buy a new ipod and didn't consider researching the sounds it may emit that humans cant hear but that drive animals insane.

like said, many times the animals are innocent and simply doing what comes natural to it. and this goes for all pet owners. i know many cases of cats and dogs killing their owners or heavily causing them harm because of them not doing research before hand. (cleaning products and that stuff like mentioned earlier)

so really, you can have any pet, just know that when you bring it into your house, your putting your own life and your friends and families lifes in danger.

lst bit, even hamsters have been known to cause fatal injuries to smal children.

[digitalis]

What really is disgusting is the selling of wild/exotic animals, most people don't even know where they come from, what conditions they were brought into the country and how much suffering those poor creatures go through. Just so a sad, idiot of a being can say "Look at my new pet, isn't he/she gorgeous" That is why I sponsor a dog from "dogs trust" a UK Charity who look after dogs and animals that can't be re-homed.