The Dangers of Owning Wild Animals

The Dangers of Owning Exotic Animals as Pets

Dawn Patton

COM/156

October 06, 2013

Myrene Magabo

The Dangers of Owning Exotic Animals as Pets

On the evening of Tuesday October 18, 2011 in Zanesville, Ohio over 49 wild and exotic animals including 18 Bengal tigers were shot and killed, after their owner opened all the cages and then took his own life (Caron, 2011). People have had an attraction to owning wild animals for decades, and the amount of injuries that have resulted from trying to coexist in a mutual environment with them is startling (The Humane Society of the United States, 2012). Understanding what the attraction is in owning wild animals may prevent these animals from being mistreated and becoming a danger to themselves and populated areas.

The Attraction

Humans have had an attraction to animals for decades. It is an understandable attraction especially for beautiful, large, and wild creatures, and it is fascinating to learn as much as we can about them. For many individuals this means living as close as possible, with these large and potentially dangerous animals regardless of the danger. There are many states in the U.S. that do not have strict laws preventing the ownership of exotic, and/or dangerous animals. In fact Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin do not have any laws in place to regulate the ownership of wild animals. Across the nation only 19 states have laws banning private individuals from owning wild and dangerous animals, that’s only 38% of the U.S. that has laws in place to protect these animals and the communities they pose a danger to (The Humane Society of the United States, 2012).

The Dangers

Tuesday, October 18, 2011 in Zanesville, Ohio began as any other day, but would take a tragic turn of events by nightfall. Terry Thompson was well known locally for owning large and exotic animals, but he did not own just one wild animal. He owned a shocking 56 of them with only himself,...