In the News
"Should governments regulate ownership of exotic pets?"
(Copyright North Shore News 2007)
British Columbians were horrified, but likely not that surprised, at the news that a woman was mauled to death by a tiger at a zoo near 100-Mile House on May 10. As a result, it was reported last week that the province is looking to review its Wildlife Act to regulate the captivity of exotic pets. There are currently no provincial regulations on ownership of such animals and the SPCA can only seize exotic animals on the basis of neglect, not safety. Municipalities can restrict the ownership of animals by bylaw.
Trevor Cawdell
North Vancouver
I do think they should; those are fairly dangerous animals. That's like having a pit bull that's out of control. There's got to be a line drawn between exotic pets and, say, your normal household pets.
Saeid Arefi
North Vancouver
We should take care of our pets. Our government should take care of pets, I don't know how they can do that, but they should do that. As humans, they should do that.
Stephanie Iring
North Vancouver
People shouldn't even be owning pets like that because their natural place is in Mother Nature. But whether they choose to actually put that pet in constrained environments is completely their responsibility for it.
Siann Montgomery
West Vancouver
I think that they should regulate the animals and make the animals be somewhere where they're not going to maul people. Maybe put them in a zoo of some sort, or just put them in the wild where they belong.
Walt Rankin
North Vancouver
I think they should regulate it, just like the city does for dogs and cats. You know, an exotic pet is an exotic pet.