exists, along with trade that skirts the law. It is the illegal wildlife trade that further threatens already endangered species and creates a crisis for survival.


How many exotic animals are


there in the United States? No one knows the answer, because there is no census of exotic pets and the legal enforcement issues differ from state to state and by locality. In fact, while we license dogs, we have no overarching law governing exotics, or even a national registry of owners. This remains a great frustration to many people and organizations working for the benefit of the animals.


What can animal


lovers do? Education is needed to make conscious choices. Most of the people who collect exotics are ignorant of the long-term im- pact of owning these


animals. The cute and cuddly tiger cub or baby chimp may look like an en- tertaining pet now, but what about the future? What will this animal be like in six months or six years? When animals reach their adoles-


cence and full body weight, we must ask: How will they be cared for and what will their lives be like? Chimps and other great apes grow to be stron- ger than a man, are overtly dangerous and must be corralled. Pythons can grow to 20 feet, endangering other pets and humans. Often, people can- not keep up with the expenses of the food and care, and release the animals to sanctuaries or simply drop them off in the wild. This cre- ates further repercussions for society and the environment. The reality is that exotic


pets will not live happily in confinement. There are many


terrifying and heartbreaking stories of captive animals attack- ing and even killing their owners after years of mutual affection. No one knows what makes the wild side emerge to disas- trous results.


What should buyers of exotic


animals understand? I view our attempts at taming animals as little more than subjugation. That’s understandable if our own survival is at stake. But to subjugate other beings for our amusement diminishes our own self-worth. Animal smuggling exists because there is a market for it. Decisions to pur- chase or own an exotic animal cannot be made in isolation; every action has an impact upstream. We need to realize that there is an environmental impact of removing creatures from their habitats and teach the benefits of seeing animals in their natural envi- ronments. Wild animals do not need us. We should leave other animals alone, and they should remain forbidden creatures.


For more information, visit PeterLaufer.com.


Connect with Gail Condrick, writer and workshop leader, at GaelaVisions.com.


April 2011 23


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