|
1-7 of 7 messages
|
Page 1 of 1
|
|
Isn't a dog or cat enough?
|
Reply
|
|
by tigers9 on July 4, 2009
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
No, dogs and cats are not good enough a s only pets, the same way Fiat Uno or 2 seater Hyundai will never be a good enough car for my needs and lifestyle, or the carrot will never be good enough diet for me, iam not a damn bunny, i like steaks.
Z
http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/jul/02/isnt-dog-or-cat-enough/
Isn't a dog or cat enough?
By Kerry Picket on July 2, 2009 into Water Cooler
There is a reason why zoos and farms exist. Families and school children go to their local zoos to look at exotic animals from all over the world. It is fun to make goofy faces at the monkeys, stare at the tigers rough house with one another, and watch the sharks during feeding time at the aquarium. However, all of this activity is done behind the safety of large walls, fences, and glass.
Unfortunately, such experiences are not enough for some people, and they feel that owning exotic animals in their private homes as "pets" should be available regardless of danger to others or the eco-system.
It was particularly heart rendering to find out about two-year old Florida girl Shaiunna Hare who was strangled by an 8-foot long albino Burmese python that slithered into the child's crib early Wednesday morning. The python's owner, her mother's boyfriend, stabbed the reptile, but it was too late to save the little girl's life. The python was a "family pet" that broke free from its glass aquarium and made its way to the child's bedroom. The audio of the 911 call is below.
Monkeys are the most common exotic animals that are privately held says the Captive Wild Animal Protective Coalition(CWAPC), but the non-human primates can become particularly unpredictable after the age of two and cause some serious if not fatal injury to others. Travis the chimpanzee mauled a Connecticut woman back in February of this year, and nearly tore her face off. CNN has the 911 call below.
In 2006 a New York City man unsuccessfully tried suing the city for unlawfully entering his Harlem apartment, after he was mauled by his so-called pet siberian tiger. The man was not just keeping a tiger as a pet but a six-foot-long alligator in his fifth floor apartment as well.
It is not just the endangerment of human beings or even the well being of the animal itself, but when individuals bring species indigenous to one ecosystem to another ecosystem, where there are no predators of that species, problems will occur. Hawaii found this out when the coqui frog, indigenous to the island of Puerto Rico, was introduced to America's tropical 50th state. The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources says:
"One species that has garnered much attention recently is the coqui frog, Eleutherdactylus coqui. Its ability to quickly adapt to Hawai'i from its native Puerto Rico and reach unprecedented numbers, the absence of predators, and its noisy mating behavior have made the coqui frog the target of government and community eradication and control efforts."
Disease is another issue to contend with when exotic animals and unknown species are brought into the country. For example The Center for Disease Control says:
Of primary concern when evaluating macaque bites are bacterial and B-virus infections. B-virus infection is highly prevalent (80% to 90%) in adult macaques and may cause a potentially fatal meningoencephalitis in humans. We examined seven nonoccupational exposure incidents involving 24 persons and eight macaques. Six macaques were tested for herpes B; four (67%) were seropositive. A common observation was that children were more than three times as likely to be bitten than adults. The virus must be assumed to be a potential health hazard in macaque bite wounds; this risk makes macaques unsuitable as pets.
With so many unwanted dogs and cats being euthanized every day at shelters, it is unfortunate people feel it necessary to either purchase or smuggle in exotic animals clearly not meant to be cared for by a private homeowner, who does not have the facilities nor the knowledge to care for such creatures. These individuals are doing the animals and those around them no favors.
|
| |
|
RE: Isn't a dog or cat enough?
|
Reply
|
|
by atrox56 on July 4, 2009
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
I also have two great cats and they get along with the other forms of life in my home. As for school kids going to petting Zoos! I give about 25 talks per year at schools, civic organizations the elderly and police and fire departments. The people who have these types of animals for the most part are responsible home owners who donate a lot of time to their community. The odd ball who has no idea of what a reptile is about will always be there and sad to say no one can stop it from happening. Just like the red necks who train Pit Bulls to fight or fighting Roosters, they will always be there. For 39 years now I have had snakes of all sizes and the past 26 have been all venomous species. Not ONE mishap, NOT ONE. I have every permit that is required and some that are not. I donate (with out charge) venom to scientific research facilities who build new medications, and use venom as a building block.
Are dogs and cats enough? Hell no! The Government will remove my animals when I get put in the ground and not before. Regulate your own life, NOT MINE!!
Joel T. LaRocque
Specialized Venoms
|
| |
|
RE: Isn't a dog or cat enough?
|
Reply
|
|
by tigers9 on July 4, 2009
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Yeah, most domestic animals are huge. I used to ride horses, have cows and bull in my pasture in WA, had bunnies, guinea pigs, mice, rats, etc...I still have dogs, but nobody can accuse me of not trying domestic only route
Z
|
| |
|
RE: Isn't a dog or cat enough?
|
Reply
|
|
by Adamanteus70 on July 4, 2009
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
"It is fun to make goofy faces at the monkeys, stare at the tigers rough house with one another, and watch the sharks during feeding time at the aquarium. However, all of this activity is done behind the safety of large walls, fences, and glass."
Interesting, tell this to the person who was beaten by the gorilla that scaled the wall at the Riverbanks Zoo and took him by surprise.
Oh wait I'm sorry, I forgot, that is a AZA facility, those things do not happen there, only in private care. :) As I stir the pot...
Paul
|
| |
|
RE: Isn't a dog or cat enough?
|
Reply
|
|
by Adamanteus70 on July 4, 2009
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Oh and by the way, I have kept domestic animals right along with exotics all my life. I have two cats that are around 10 years old,we have bred Siberian Huskies, kept chickens, rabbits, rats and mice, squirrels, birds, tropical and salt water fish, ferrets, skunks, oppossums, armadillos, crocodillians, snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises and amphibians. A well rounded life with animals has given us experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.
I feel sorry for those that have to keep only one type of animal as a companion, life must be pretty bad. It will never happen here at this house.
Paul
|
| |
|
RE: Isn't a dog or cat enough?
|
Reply
|
|
by Agkistrodoncomplex on July 4, 2009
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
what an insult. "they have neither the skill nor knowledge to care for them" they didnt mention how private keepers have contributed alot of knowledge on the husbandry of many of these animals. People need to worry about themselves and forget about my life and what I choose to do. And NO! dogs and cats are not enough
|
| |
|
RE: Isn't a dog or cat enough?
|
Reply
|
|
by FLherp on July 5, 2009
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
I don't think coqui frogs were commonly kept as pets, rather their transportation to Hawaii was probably incidental to ornamental plants or the like. The inclusion of such animals in this story is misleading at best and dishonest at worst. As long as people have been migrating they have been transporting other species with them, purposefully and accidentally, some beneficial to the man, and others neither beneficial to man or the new environment to which they have been introduced.
|
| |
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
Check our help page for help using
, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the
Manager.
|
