Background

Owning wildlife and exotic animals as pets has become a popular trend for many people. People often get a pet for companionship and caregiving. Owning a pet nowadays is more than owning a cat or a dog. It has expanded to owning reptiles, racoons, ferrets, opossums and more. To some wildlife and exotic animals are kept as pets for aesthetic reasons. For others they want to inflict harm on these animals.

 Exotic animals have a vital role within the ecosystem. Effects of disturbing the ecosystem have implications for humans and animals. Research provided by Oswald Schmitz (2023), wildlife animals role within the ecosystem is to control the carbon cycle in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Research by Oswald Schmitz (2023 para 4) supports:

“The dynamics of carbon uptake and storage fundamentally changes with the presence or absence of animals.”

            While owning a pet is nice, it is important to understand what comes with owning wildlife and exotic animals. Wildlife animals play a role within our ecosystem and turning them into an inside pet might do more harm than good not only to yourself but your family. Wildlife play an important role within our ecosystem. Removing them could cause implications. Animals such as skunks, monkeys, lemurs, opossums and reptiles are just a few Exotic animals that are being kept as pets. According to the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation, 60% of households in the United States own pets. Of the 60% around 15% have exotic animals or non-traditional species.

The “_________” strongly disagrees with people that are keeping wildlife or exotic animals as pets. The center believes people should take caution when removing an animal from its natural habitat. They feel that if you encounter any wildlife that you call your local wildlife center.

 Wildlife and exotic animals being kept as pets can lead to the spread of diseases. The organization feels removing an animal from its natural environment can affect the lifespan of the animal. Humans are not equipped to care for exotic animals due to lack of space required and lack of education on the animal.

Points that back our position

Opening your home to wildlife or exotic animals poses health risks to humans. Zoonic diseases are common among exotic animals. Diseases such as herpes B, monkey pox and salmonellosis are communicable to humans. (The dangers of keeping exotic pets, n.d). Monkeys are known to transmit the Ebola virus and monkey pox, while the majority of reptiles carry salmonellosis. According to the CDC (2005) an estimated 93,000 salmonella cases caused from reptiles are being reported in the U.S. Most macaque monkeys are infected with either herpes B or simian B. The virus can be fatal for humans transmitted from the monkey when the virus is shed through saliva or genital secretions. Research from “the dangers of keeping exotic pets”talk about how it can be difficult to tell which monkeys are at risk because their symptoms are rare.

Having an exotic or wildlife animal in your home puts the animal at risk because the animal is in an unfamiliar environment. This can cause negative reactions for the animal itself and you. When you remove an animal from its natural environment, you are disrupting the ecosystem. To keep the ecosystem running smoothly, animals play a crucial role in helping plants grow, filtering the air and maintaining clean water.

“Without these animals doing their jobs, nature wouldn’t work as well as it does.” (“What role do animals play in the ecosystem, 2023, para 2)

Humans are not well equipped to care for wildlife and exotic animals. Some animals have complex needs that only animal specialists can meet. These animals were never meant to live in a house and become a pet. Due to their complex needs like space, nutrition, and behavioral needs, placing an exotic animal in your home puts the animal and you at risk. Exotic animals are always changing and adapting to their environments as time changes. Lack  of education on how a specific animal adapts over time can be life threatening and shorten the animal’s life expectancy. There have been cases reported where wildlife and exotic animals are turning on their owners due to being triggered and other responses that result in the animal escaping the human’s home.

A man named Austin Riley owned a warthog for decades and one day the animal turned on him. The animal used its tusk and attacked this man’s lower body along with this torso and neck. He described the attack as a “murderous act of betrayal.” While appearing tame on the outside, wild animals can be capable of having a dramatic shift in their behavior (Holley, 2024). Another report in 2009. A lady named Sandra Herold owned a 200-pound chimpanzee as a pet. The chimpanzee brutally attacked Sandra by mauling her face and hands. These two examples highlight the dangers of owning exotic animals and treating them as pets.

Arguments

1.     Counterargument 1: The wildlife and exotic animals may be injured, so people will take them in as pets to nurse them back to health.

-       Some people will come across animals who may be injured. They may feel that their best option is to improve their quality of life and finding a good home- the humans home (Vail. M Rosanna, n.d., Wildlife as pets: reshaping public perception through targeted communication, pg. 2).

2.     Counterargument 2: There are some animals that you can have in your home because they do not require a lot of attention.

-       Some exotic animals can make great pets because they do not require a lot of space in your home, it is less of a financial burden than owning a dog or a cat and you do not have to put so much care into the pet. Reptiles like snakes and lizards do not require a lot of care. They usually are fed once a week or every two or three days. Guinea pigs, require a little more commitment but they make for good starter pets for children. According to the Ovilla Pet Hospital, they have experience treating exotic animals such as Guinea pigs, hedgehogs, ferrets, snakes and tortoises.

3.     Counterargument 3: Owning exotic animals may be a better option for those who are allergic to cats and dogs.

-       Some people may have severe allergies to dog and cat hair so owning an exotic animal-like reptiles may be better solution. Animals like turtles or lizards may be a good option as they will not trigger any allergies. Reptiles spend majority of their time in terrariums, so the likelihood of any allergies caused by them is low. (Exotic pets that won’t cause allergies, Feb.15).

Recommendations:

Recommendations for those who work at wildlife centers and veterinary clinics. 

-       Provide information on all wildlife and exotic animals that can be in people’s homes and how to best take care of them. List out veterinary clinics that offer services for exotic animals.

-       Veterinary clinics can provide phone numbers to local wildlife centers for those who may encounter wildlife and are not sure where to go to get the animal the proper care it needs.

Recommendations for prospective pet owners

-       Before going out and buying an exotic animal, background research would be immensely helpful to figure out the animals’ dietary needs, what clinics take on exotic animals. Finding out how much the upkeep of the animal is also important. That will include visits to the pet center, feeding and caging arrangements.

-       If it is a family with children that wants to own an exotic or wildlife animal, investigate low maintenance animals that are easy to start out with and don’t require that much effort to care for.

Recommendations for people who live in areas where seeing wildlife on the side of the street is more common than others

-       When you are in areas where there are more natural habitats like forests and grasslands, observe the animals from afar and research the diverse types of animals you observe.

-       Refrain from disturbing the animals in their natural habitat.

-       If you are traveling with children, educate the children on the diverse types of animals and provide information on what makes them different from their cat or dog at home.