Exotic pets have long been the subject of controversy, but that hasn’t deterred people from adopting the wilderness into their households. Any animal that hasn’t been domesticated but coexists directly with humans in an enclosed environment can be considered an exotic pet, such as, “any pet that is not a dog, cat, or farm animal,” as worded by The Spruce Pets.
National Geographic claims that the market has grown as it, “can be attributed to the popularity of e-commerce and social media …[and] provided a way for people to easily advertise the sale of live animals,” making it easier to hurt them, too. For example, according to NPR, pets going viral , “are leading TikTokkers [sic] to buy exotic pets without considering the responsibilities that go into owning them.” The requirements of caring for a non-traditional pet can be unexpected for a person who has only seen the fun and interesting side of ownership.
Simply put, the market for exotic pets has proven to be, “responsible for huge mortality and morbidity” by NCBI. Moreover, Born Free USA illustrates the many dangers that come with owning an exotic pet. These animals struggle to adapt to living in captivity, meaning they won’t live as long as they would in the wild. When people finally comes to their senses and realize that they can’t take care of the animal, they may make another foolish mistake; they might release it. According to One Green Planet, this course of action means that the animal will either, “succumb to the harsh elements that are foreign to them,” or, “establish themselves in non-native ecosystems.”
Due to natural instincts, wild animals can be unpredictable and liable to attack their owners. Perhaps one of the most notorious cases of such a tragedy happened on October 3, 2003, during a performance by the animal-taming duo Siegfried & Roy. Known for their acts involving white tigers, Roy nearly died after an on-stage attack by one of the large cats. Similarly, the 2018 documentary Blackfish followed the story of a SeaWorld trained orca, Tilikum, that ended up killing three of his trainers in his life. The Conversation reported that the narrative, “presented [the orca’s] aggression as symptomatic of post-traumatic stress, induced by a life in captivity.”
Some people adopt exotic animals because they want viral videos, and others believe that they can handle the responsibility. Nothing can change the fact that nature does not bend to humanity. The whole concept of forcing wolves and panthers to live like dogs and cats carries the same eerie undertones of H. G. Wells’ novel The Island of Doctor Moreau; the misconception that man can civilize nature. Appallingly, it takes blood-spattering circumstances like that of Siegfried & Roy to make this clear to ignorant individuals looking for clout online.
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