Welfare For Exotic Pets
General exotic pet welfare
In some countries, there is little or no legislation for the welfare of exotic pets owned by people. Across the internet, one can frequently see exotic animals such as monkeys, wallabies, zebras and even raccoons in addition to rare snakes, reptiles, turtles, and spiders.
Sadly, these animals can often be sold to people with very little knowledge and understanding of care requirements for these wonderful creatures. Keeping them in a healthy and comfortable environment which is also safe for them is so important.
Also, people tend to be unaware of the financial burden some exotic animals can place on their owners such as building or buying special living environments, specific foods, and routine healthcare requirements.
Licenses
Some countries require a license to be held by the owner if they want to buy or sell an exotic animal. Knowing the legislation and legal requirements for your state and country is important if you are considering buying an exotic pet.
The best way that countries can have some degree of control over exotic pet ownership is to introduce a registration system for exotic animals, micro chipping them to prevent and reduce potential animal cruelty and neglect.
Traditional pets vs exotic pets
Traditionally, cats, dogs, and goldfish were the go-to pets that people wanted. Now though, the city zoos are no longer the only place to find wild and wonderful exotic animals.
It is believed as high as twenty million people in the US have some kind of exotic pet at home! Some of these animals will beg the question of why one would wish to keep these at home, while other ones will get you excited and urge you to look up how and where to buy one due to their cuteness appeal!
Today, pet owners want something different, something special that helps them stand out from their friends. It’s a misconception that exotic means dangerous or wild. Whereas, exotic actually means a species that is simply not a native or indigenous to the pet owner’s location.
As mentioned above under licenses, there are websites and forums available online to explore further if your state has certain laws relating to exotic pet ownership.
USA!
Surprisingly, most animals are actually legal in the US. However, due to injuries, the risk of extinction, pets escaping, and human-animal health concerns, each US state does have its own legislation’s in place relating to which specific exotic pets you can or cannot own.
As an example, around two dozen US states, which includes Vermont, New Hampshire, and California have a ban on exotic pets so be sure to do your homework through research with the government in your state.
Be well
To sum up, do your research on the following before you go and attempt to buy an exotic pet:
- Research the animals feeding and habitat needs
- Research the costs involved for the animals food, habitat and health needs
- Research the legal requirements of you as an exotic pet owner, with respect to your state laws