Do you believe exotic pets should be allowed as pets-with/without restrictions ( Archived) (37)

I agree with you. It certainly was not my idea. I used to give in to anything...not any more.

Having exotic pets is contributing to poaching wild animals from forests and the sea.

I would only approve if the animal had been rescued and had already been in captivity. It is just wrong to take an animal from its natural environment.

That's what the rescue is set up for here-they get cats from all over that people thought would be great pets until they got huge and tried to eat them

There must be regulation for such exotic animals. Look what Travis the Chimp did here in CT. He didn't kill the woman trying to help his owner lure him back in the house, he simply attacked her and ate her face and hands off before his owner tried to stop him by stabbing him, was unsuccessful and he finally went after the first arriving cop who thankfully shot and killed him. Now, that poor woman is living in that condition in a hospital and might be a candidate for a face transplant, but she'll still have no hands. There was no need for that horrible attack. Monkeys should be regulated. Travis was a former TV star, but also 200 pounds and dangerous. These snakes are the same. They must be cared for in a way that is proper for the animal for everyone's safety, including their own.

Tucker, I told you to stay off my computer !! Sit, roll over.

Definition of "exotic pets" is an animal that is not found to be naturally living in one area and is introduced/imported as a pet by someone.
If they are any Kiwi's reading the thread how many of your native birds do you have left and why?

Has anyone ever seen a Leopard in a magic act in a circus? Ever wonder why?

To own an animal as a pet just because it is exotic is basically ignorant.
People give animals human attributes and often ignore the intelligence and instinctive actions of animals.

While animals can be domesticated and and come to understand and co-exist with some people as has been evidenced in many experiences, most notably is the recent video on You Tube regarding a lion who was the pet of a couple who was released back to the wild and then approached a year or so later when all the "experts" predicted they would be hurt made all the experts look like fools.
However, there is only one basic truth in dealing with any exotic animal in regards to trusting them and that is I trust them to kill me.

This Senator needs a whack upside the head.

I heard about that incident with the snake recently... but consider this, how many children/adults get killed or mauled each year by the family dog? I bet it's ALOT more than are killed or mauled by the family snake! That's snake's owner was stupid, he was keeping the reptile in a fish tank... as one snake expert put it, "fish tanks are for fish not snakes"! Hello, here's your sign!

In GA I bet that law about not releasing exotic's into the wild isn't particulary enforced any more than the laws regarding literring are. You can't legislate against stupidity in most cases, unfortunately.

Here in Texas, I'm required to pay for a yearly permit to have my domestic raccoons... most of which were found as orphaned babies (people find them along the highways, in their backyards, in their attics, etc.) and raised by me. My raccoons are considered to be "exotics", even though they're native to this country (unlike cats and dogs, which don't actually belong on this continent and SHOULD be labeled Exotic!).

If I wanted a tiger or cougar or python snake or pit bulldog for example... no permits of any kind are required around here! Now how many people die or are mauled by raccoons each year someone please do tell me? It's nutz! The animals that are actually dangerous and can kill you and don't even belong in this state, are the ones anyone can have without any oversight whatsoever!

And finally, let's talk about venomous "exotic pets"... who in their right mind would want to keep venomous snakes or insects (ie. spiders and scorpions and such)? That's just plain insane IMHO! Why on Earth they're allowed to bring such anmimals into this country from abroad I'll never understand. You don't keep as pets in your home animals which can kill you or yours... that's just plain stupid, yet it's totally legal in most areas. Where are people's brains?

Anyhows, though I don't have exact numbers I'd imagine more people are maimed and/or killed each year by the family dog than by "exotic" pets such as that Florida snake. Maybe they should enact legislation to control who can have dogs instead of snakes, IDK.

- Michael ("American by birth, Texan by the Grace of God!")

In the United States (and North America in general) cats and dogs are as "exotic" as they come here... of course, there'd be a huge uproar if anybody tried to permit or otherwise restrict/regulate cats and dogs here. It makes me very angry!

- Michael ("American by birth, Texan by the Grace of God!")

Travis was ill and his owner was medicating him with meds not approved for chimps AND which had neuralogical side effects as I understand it. This was not the chimp's fault, but the owner's fault... the cops should have tranquilized the chimp, and shot the stupid owner who should have known better!

Too often we blame (and kill) the animal for the human's stupidity.

This was people's fault, not the chimp's fault. The chimp should not have been in this situation being given those meds to begin with. Put the blame where it belongs! We're supposed to be the "intelligent" ones after all.

- Michael ("American by birth, Texan by the Grace of God!")

Stupid people shouldn't breed IMO. There should be a law!

Giant snakes and small children do not mix... hello, here's your sign!

I'm sorry for the children, but the parents get nothing but my scorn for being so incredibly stupid. What can I say?

- Michael ("American by birth, Texan by the Grace of God!")

The senator is the one pressing for more restrictions....either I wrote it wrong or you misread-had to clear it up............

I agree 100% that owners when taking a pet any pet are solely responsible for that pet and what they do-this goes for dogs as well-I can't say cats because I haven't seen a domestic feline attack or maim a person myself....

Even a dog or large cat can be extremely dangerous to small children/people if they are not properly socialised, caged or taken care of... I think its less an issue of having exotic pets and more an issue of having responsible owners...

Irresponsible people? Well imagine that... LOL! ROF!

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Departement has a web page that goes on and on about the harm domestic feline's cause to native bird species and squirrels and such... yet absolutely no attempt is made to restrict or permit domestic feline's.

And domestic dogs, allowed to roam loose in neighborhoods, tend to form packs which maim and kill just about anything they come across... I've seen them literally pull people's domestic felines apart, unfortunately. It wasn't a pretty sight I wish I could have intervened, and makes me wonder about what else they might be out there killing and capable of killing... and people keep dogs as pets? Geez!

Don't get me wrong, I grew up with dogs... but I've seen what their true nature is like, and I won't have one here at my house ever!

My kiddos are rescues, I did not seek them or buy them, and they live in large enclosure I've spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours building... to keep them out of trouble, and safe from the packs of domestic dogs that roam my neighborhood!

- Michael ("American by birth, Texan by the Grace of God!")

I understand the caution. If you have vulnerable loved ones sometimes no animals are truly safe to have around. Regardless, I have owned dogs and some feral my whole life and have never ever had a problem with them getting aggressive. Each has it's own personality but what they all thrive upon is love, attention, structure, consistency, exercise, play, and rewards. One dog required going to obedience school, others were trainable at home. Some are docile while others tend to get into everything. My dogs are as gentle as can be but if a predator were to threaten me or our home they would be ready to bark, growl, and make a good scary show. (I was robbed once though and the dogs must have barked but once inside they thought the burglars were just a big party and acted like nothing at all was unusual. This probably kept them from being harmed by the intruders in the long run. They were calm and sleeping when I came home. ) Dogs are the most heart-warming and helpful animals. Corgi's for instance were once used by Welsh farmers to babysit as the humans worked in the fields. They do require that you know what you are doing and that you are willing to spend the time with them it takes to train and love them.

I am completely against moving animals away from their natural habitat (that's when they become "exotic". In some cases it is also bad for the fauna at the new location, where a few exotics can turn the balance up side down.

I do not detest it because they might hurt someone, that is a secondary issue, however tragic it might be. The animals did not ask to be brought away from their homes and forced into an alien space.

We have pets, domesticated for years and eons. This "want more" mentality is really scary

Yes, penalty and restrictions wherever responsibility is involved, as they've shown they do not know how to handle such a thing.

Oh...in that case...HE'S MY HERO!

ahh...no. I understand your viewpoint, but in the United States, in the eyes of the "Fish and Game Bureau" the word exotic does not refer to domesticated cats and dogs. It refers to animals that are not normally domesticated that are not native to the area. So anything not born in the U.S. is considered exotic. (I've got some experience with furry people.)