Figure 1. Southern Painted Turtle Photo by Suzanne L. Collins, Wikipedia

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Why You Should Not Own Exotic or Wild Animals

Introduction When Americans think of pets, the animals that first come to mind are domestic cats and

dogs. Many breeds of dogs and cats have been faithful companions of humans throughout

history. Dogs and cats, especially dogs, can provide the psychological support needed to

improve people’s daily lives. There is strong evidence that companion dogs can lower blood

pressure and decrease feelings of anxiety and stress in humans. The concept of dogs in

healthcare facilities has evolved into dog-assisted therapy programs in which trained dogs

help patients achieve documentable progress toward therapeutic goals. Similarly, dogs

provide comfort, stimulus and joy to residents in long-term care facilities such as hospices

and nursing homes. However, when thinking of companion animals, many prospective pet

owners think also of the exotic and wild.

Americans are obsessed with owning wild animals such as tigers, lions, cougars, bears, squirrel monkeys, capuchins, chimpanzees,

snakes, etc. According to National Geographic, more exotic animals live in American homes than in American zoos. Regardless of the

reasons, these animals should not be kept as pets in private residences across America’s rural, urban, and suburban communities. The

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Veterinary

Medical Association (AVMA) and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) have all opposed the idea of keeping select exotic

animals as pets.

Reasons to Avoid Owning Exotic or Wild Animals Exotic or wild animals are inherently dangerous, notorious vectors or reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens, and do not adjust well to

captive environments.

Animal Welfare: Big cats, primates, small mammals, birds, and reptiles are available for sale from dealers across the United States (US).

This means the illegal wildlife trade (a multibillion-dollar business) makes it easy for people to obtain animals that are unsuitable as

pets. The illegal wildlife trade can harm wild populations of animals and cause immense animal suffering and death. Exotic or wild

animals privately kept as pets suffer as well. Because these animals are forced to live in unnatural conditions, they often display visible

signs of extreme psychological distress (e.g., pacing and self-mutilation). Furthermore, unwanted exotic animals surrendered to

institutions that are already at capacity are often euthanized. Others are abandoned or released by their owners to live in harsh

conditions they are not accustomed to.

Human Health Risk: People do not seem to fully understand the health risks associated with owning an exotic or wild animal. Wild and

exotic animals are notorious vectors or reservoirs for diseases and parasites that can cause serious harm to humans of all ages. Reptiles

such as turtles, lizards, and snakes commonly carry and shed Salmonella bacteria in their feces. According to the CDC, between 2015

and 2016, more than 202 people were sickened in several nationwide Salmonella outbreaks linked to contact with small turtles or their

environments (water tanks or aquariums). Forty-one percent (41%) of ill people were children 5 years of age or younger. Thus, the CDC

recommends that children, people with lowered immune systems, and the elderly avoid all contact with reptiles and not own them as

pets. Salmonellosis (small intestinal infection caused by live Salmonella) associated with exotic pets has been described as an important

public health issue, affecting more people than any other single disease.

Other zoonotic pathogens carried by exotic or wild animals are Herpes B and Ebola. Macaque monkeys, including rhesus macaques,

are natural hosts for herpes B virus. A bite or scratch or mucosal contact with body fluids or tissues from an infected macaque can

result in a severe swelling of the brain and death. Since monkeys and apes can become infected with the Ebola virus, a person who

comes in close contact with an infected primate can get sick and cause large numbers of people to be affected (outbreak).

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Figure 2. Chimp Photo by Afrika Force, Flickr

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Figure 3. Tiger Reticulated Python Photo by Mark Patterson, Wikipedia

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Figure 4. King Cobra Photo by Kurisuuu, Flickr

Public Safety Risk: The ownership of exotic wildlife as

house pets presents a real danger to individuals, families,

neighbors, communities, and the public-at-large. Keeping

exotic or wild animals isolated in close quarters with no

room to roam increases their stress levels and causes some

animals to become agitated and aggressive. Exotic animals

are inherently dangerous to their owners and any other

person coming into contact with them. According to Born

Free USA, many children and adults across the US have been

bitten by monkeys, mauled by tigers, and strangulated by

snakes. Following are notorious examples of exotic animals

that have posed harm to people as pets.

Monkeys are one of the most common exotic pets. Often

bought as cute and cuddly babies, they become larger and

more aggressive as they reach sexual maturity. The male

chimpanzee tends to be the most aggressive. Of great

notoriety was the mauling of Charla Nash on February 16,

2009, in Stamford, Connecticut. Nash was savagely attacked

by a 14-year-old pet chimpanzee named Travis. Travis was

owned by her friend and employer, Sandra Herold. The

chimp broke most of the bones in Nash’s face and ripped off

her nose, lips, eyes, and hands. Travis was eventually shot by

local authorities.

Felines such as lions, tigers, and cougars are also common

pets. Again, these animals may look cute and cuddly when

they are young, but they have the potential to seriously

injure or kill people as they mature. The most notorious case

was the attack of Roy Horn on October 3, 2003, at the MGM

Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. A 7-year-old trained

white tiger named Montecore attacked and carried Roy

Horn off stage by the throat during Siegfried & Roy’s long-

standing show at the Mirage. Horn suffered massive blood

loss and a stroke. Incidents involving large exotic cats often

result in fatalities.

Reptiles such as venomous and constrictor snakes pose a

real danger to humans. Besides being frequent carriers of

Salmonella bacteria, these snakes are aggressive and deadly,

especially those that kill by constriction. One of the most

shocking attacks was the strangulation of Amanda Black on

October 21, 2008, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Black was

strangled to death by her pet python as she was trying to

give it some medication. The 13-foot-long reticulated tiger

python named Diablo was found, restrained, and taken to

the Virginia Beach Animal Control facility. The tiger

reticulated python is native to Southeast Asia and can

potentially reach over 20 feet in length and over 165 pounds

in weight.

Other exotic or wild animals that pose grave dangers to

human health and safety include bears, wolves, prairie dogs,

hedgehogs, hamsters, alligators, and other reptiles such as

iguanas and lizards.

Reasons People Give for Owning Exotic or Wild Animals

The illegal wildlife trade, lax state laws, and the allure of

owning an exotic or wild animal has led to an increased

number of exotic wildlife privately held as pets. People do

not seem to fully understand the magnitude of the risks

associated with owning an exotic or wild animal. Exotic

animals can potentially kill or critically injure their owners as

well as people in the community. On September 1, 2015, an

8-foot king cobra named Elvis escaped from his cage in a

home in Orlando, Florida. After about a month on the lam,

the king cobra was captured by officers of the Orange

County Animal Services. King cobras average about 13 feet

in length and can reach up to 20 pounds in weight. They are

the longest venomous snakes in the world and are mainly

found in the forest regions of India and Southeast Asia.

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Figure 5. Bengal Tiger Photo by Andrewself, Wikipedia

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So why extremely dangerous, and even repulsive, wild

animals can elicit a passionate response from some people?

Reasons people give for keeping exotic animals as pets

range from “learning purposes” to “contributing to the

survival of wild species”. However, although some people

keep exotic pets because they feel a strong affection for

their animals, the truth is that many other people own exotic

or wild animals to be noticed and to enhance their social

status and power. Regardless of the reasons, the obsession

of keeping exotic or wild animals as pets has become a

menace in the US, especially in urbanized and suburbanized

areas. The threat to public safety is high, especially when

dangerous animals such as tigers, lions, cougars, bears,

wolves, monkeys, snakes, etc. are owned by people with

emotional imbalance. On October 18, 2011, Mr. Terry

Thompson, the owner of a wild animal preserve near

Zanesville, Ohio, released dozens of tigers, lions and other

wild animals at his preserve before killing himself. In the

aftermath, deputies from the Muskingum County Sheriff

Office were forced to kill nearly 50 escaped animals.

Thompson, a Vietnam War veteran, had just been released

from federal prison on weapons charges and was heavily in

debt.

After the Zanesville, Ohio incident, many states passed

legislation restricting the private ownership of exotic or wild

animal species. According to Born Free USA, 31 states have

partial or total bans on private ownership of exotic animals.

However, there are still 14 other states that only require a

license or permit to own an exotic animal and 5 states,

including Alabama that do not require a license or permit at

all. ALA. ADMIN CODE r. 220-2-.26 has no requirements

governing the private possession of exotic animals such as

tigers, lions, monkeys, etc. Therefore, it is incumbent upon

county and city government agencies and animal welfare

organizations like the HSUS and the American Society for

the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to educate the

general public about the health and safety risks associated

with owning exotic or wild animals, and the suffering of the

animals themselves doomed to live in environments far

different from the ones nature intended.

Well-resourced education programs focusing on creating

awareness of the huge responsibility people undertake when

they acquire exotic or wild animal species is a foremost first

step to changing. Establishing and maintaining hotlines for

people to enquire about or report exotic animals detected

play a critically important role in the prevention of health

hazards and ensuring public safety. In addition, professional

intervention services to help owners (close friends or family

members) give up their exotic pets can be very useful,

especially when the danger to themselves, the family, and

the community is extremely high.

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References Allen, S. and D. Harris. (2015, October 8). Officers tell harrowing tale of catching Elvis the cobra. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved from http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-missing-king-cobra-found-in-garage-20151008-story.html. Born Free USA. (2017). A life sentence: The sad and dangerous realities of exotic animals in private hands. Retrieved from http://www.bornfreeusa.org/a3b_exotic_pets.php. Born Free USA. (2017). Get the facts: The dangers of keeping exotic “pets.” Retrieved from http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?p=187&more=1. Born Free USA. (2017). Summary of state laws relating to private possession of exotic animals. Retrieved from http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4a2_exotic_animals_summary.php. Caron, C. (2011, August 24). Zanesville animal massacre included 18 rare Bengal tigers. ABC News. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/east-coast-earthquake-animals-zoos-reacted-temblor-began/story?id=14371679. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, March 1). B virus (herpes B, monkey B virus, herpesvirus simiae, and herpesvirus B). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/herpesbvirus/index.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, May 18). Four multistate outbreaks of human Salmonella infections linked to small turtles. Salmonella. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/small-turtles-10-15/index.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Human Salmonella infections linked to small turtles: Advice to pet owners. Salmonella. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/small-turtles-10-15/advice.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017, June 13). Ebola (ebola virus disease). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/index.html. Correa, J. E. (2010). Dangers of exotic pets. Metro News. Vol. 9, No. 4. Retrieved from http://www.aces.edu/urban/metronews/vol9no4/ExoticPets.html.

Correa, J. E. (2016). Dog companionship and its benefits to humans. Alabama Cooperative Extension System. UNP-0008. Retrieved from http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP-0008/UNP-0008.pdf. Derr, M. (2003, June 24). Cute but wild: The perilous lure of exotic pets. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/24/health/cute-but-wild-the-perilous-lure-of-exotic-pets.html. Elliott, B. (2014, April 15). America’s exotic pet obsession is out of control (photos, video). HuffPost. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/13/americas-exotic-pet-obsession_n_5134315.html. Klum, M. (2001). King Cobras. National Geographic Magazine. Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/data/2001/11/01/html/ft_20011101.6.html. Navarro, M. and L.M. Holson. (2003, October 6). Onstage attack casts pall over Las Vegas Strip. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/06/us/onstage-attack-casts-pall-over-las-vegas-strip.html?ref=topics. Newman, A. (2009, February 17). Pet chimpanzee attacks woman in Connecticut. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/world/americas/17iht-chimp.1.20241928.html. Slater, L. (2014, April). Wild obsession: The perilous attraction of owning exotic pets. National Geographic. Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/04/exotic-pets/slater-text. UPI. (2008, October 23). Woman killed by pet 13-foot python. United Press International. Retrieved from https://www.upi.com/Woman-killed-by-pet-13-foot-python/21431224801360/. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2017). Illegal wildlife trade. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service International Affairs, Falls Church, Virginia. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/international/travel-and-trade/illegal-wildlife-

trade.html.

Julio E. Correa, PhD, Associate Professor & Extension Animal Scientist, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University ____________________________________________________________________ The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Everyone is welcome! New September 2017, UNP-2121 © 2017 by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. All rights reserved.

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