Frequently Asked Questions
Many questions surround the issue of keeping dangerous wild animals as pets. Freedom Fauna answers your most commonly asked questions below, and in doing so, helps explain why this practice is both dangerous for people and inhumane for animals; and why much stronger laws are needed to solve the problem.
What's wrong with owning an exotic pet?
Exotic animals are wild animals, not domestic. Their instincts are suited to their natural environment where they can hunt, roam, and interact freely. In captivity, they are robbed of these rights and can suffer from malnutrition, disease, boredom and mistreatment. Most people do not know how to properly care for reptiles and as a result many end up ill, injured, abandoned, depressed, neglected, dumped into the ecosystem or dead.
Why is owning a cat or dog considered more acceptable than owning an exotic animal?
Cats and dogs have been domesticated for more than 10,000 years. There are far more resources to care for domesticated animals, such a veterinary clinics, animal shelters, educational materials, and licensing. Even with these resources, domestic pets still face many problems such as abuse, neglect, abandonment and some can be dangerous. Exotic pets have far less resources in society, are not domesticated and can be extremely dangerous, so why further the problems by allowing exotic animals to be kept as pets?
What's wrong with owning an exotic pet that was captive bred?
A wild animal that has been captive bred is still a wild animal. They have the same instincts that they would in the wild, only they often can't use them. There are many traumas for animals that are bred in captivity. Infants are often prematurely removed from their mothers and are denied the socializing that would occur in their natural habitat. This creates a lot of stress for the animal and can greatly affect their development. There is nothing to indicate that captive breeding has reduced the number of wild caught animals for the exotic pet trade.
What are the laws against owning exotic pets in Canada?
Unfortunately, there are few laws protecting exotic animals from being bought and sold as pets. Canada is a signatory of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). CITES exists to control the trade in endangered species, but unfortunately illegal trading still exists. This means that although it may be legal in your municipality to purchase an exotic pet, the animal may well have been imported illegally into the country. Few municipalities have bylaws to protect exotic animals, which mean it is legal in most municipalities for people to own a tiger, boa or crocodile. It is important for all municipalities to strongly consider putting exotic animal bylaws into place before anymore tragedies occur.
What is Zoonosis?
Zoonosis refers to a disease of non-human animals that can be passed on to humans, such as Rabies, Psittacosis, Herpes B, Monkey Pox and Salmonellosis. Approximately 85% of all macaque monkeys are infected with Herpes B-virus or Simian B, a virus that is harmless to monkeys but often fatal in humans. Close to 90% of all reptiles carry and shed Salmonella in their feces. Salmonellosis associated with exotic pets has been described as one of the most important public health diseases affecting more people and animals than any other single disease. Exotic pets can pose serious health risks to humans and zoonotic diseases are another reason why purchasing an exotic pet is a bad idea.
What other dangers are associated with owning an exotic pet?
Exotic pets pose a serious risk to their owners, neighbours and surrounding community. There have been many reported and likely unreported incidents of exotic animals attacking their owners. It's important to remember that exotic animals are wild animals and they are dangerous by nature. Most exotic animals in their natural habitat would have a large territorial space and the freedom to interact with their species. In captivity the animals are confined and often kept alone with no interaction. This causes a lot of stress to the animal which often leads to aggression.