Why Wild Animals Should NOT Be Pets (Opinion Post)

Why Wild Animals Should NOT Be Pets

By: Rachel

People use animals for a lot of different reasons. Some use animals for plowing fields or for providing food for others. After all, food is crucial for survival and civilization. Some people use animals to breed. Humans have bred dogs, cats, cattle, and other livestock for upwards of 15,000 years! But quite possibly the most popular use of animals is as a companion. Children and adults all over the world are making new memories with their trusty side kick-dog, cat, hamster, or even fish! These little (or big) guys light up our lives, and provide us with an escape from reality. I should know, my boyfriend recently got a new kitten and he has already stolen my heart, along with many other family members'.

(Everybody say hello to Hans!)

One question that is fairly common in elementary school is "if you could have any animal for a pet, what would you choose?" Most kids will say their favorite animal and move on with their day. But what happens if someone takes that question seriously? It is pretty common to see someone on the street waking their dog, but what would go through your mind if you saw someone walking their tiger? A pretty strange sight huh?

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to hear about people owning wild animals as pets. There is a new show to Netflix which proves this point. Taking the world by storm and captivating many people's attention is Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. This crime documentary follows Joe Exotic, a zoo keeper who owns 1200 big cats, and the trouble he's in for owning them. His "empire" is located in the greater Wynnewood area in Oklahoma, and was dubbed the "World's Largest Big Cat Park." But there are people who are against him for owning them. His biggest threat is a lady named Carole Baskin, an activist aiming to put a stop to private possession of big cats.

"Tiger King Poster." cnet, 5 April 2020, www.cnet.com/news

Now as many of you know, I am a huge animal lover and would 100% side with Carole on this. Wild animals should not be kept as pets. The Tiger King trailer even states that there are more captive tigers in the US than there are in the wild throughout the world. That is crazy to think about! And for those of you who still don't get the severity of that, tigers are considered endangered, some species even being critically endangered.

But if that wasn't enough to understand how wrong it is, there are several other facts to why wild animals shouldn't be kept as pets. One big misconception is around the word "domesticate." You cannot domesticate an animal by simply bringing it into your home. It may learn to trust you, but in forming that trust, you have taken away it's survival trait of fearing predators. So once it grows up and you decide it is no longer "cute" or "fit for your family", that animal would likely die if returned to the wild. Another huge factor as to why they shouldn't be pets is that they are wild and dangerous. As wild animals reach maturity, they often challenge for dominant social positions, fellow animal or human. They become unpredictable and aggressive, putting everyone one at risk.

Some people try to cover up the issue as that they were just rescuing an orphan. While most people think this is a good thing-giving the animal a chance at survival-you may not have everything that animal needs. If you find an abandoned animal, the best thing you can do for them to to call your local wildlife rescue. They will have what is needed to raise that animal until it is ready to be returned to the wild. So please, before you think about becoming the next "Tiger King," think about the overall safety and well being of not only your family, but the animal itself.