naturalpet
Forbidden Creatures Author Peter Laufer On the Dark Side
of “Owning” Exotic Pets
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.
by Gail Condrick P
eter Laufer, Ph.D., is the James Wallace Chair in Journalism at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communications, a broad- caster and the author of 12 books. His latest, For- bidden Creatures, exposes the illegal network of hunters, trad- ers, breeders and customers who are negatively impacting the lives of exotic animals, humans and the environment.
In Forbidden Creatures, as you explored people’s fascina- tion with collecting exotic and forbidden animals, what did you find?
Many of us like to think that humans are the ultimate animal, and that we can tame the rest of nature. My research for the book introduced me to an engag- ing cast of characters, many of who fantasized not just about communing with ex- otic beasts, but controlling them. Such dreams can dissolve into nightmares in seconds and without warning.
Exotic animals are col-
lected and owned by celebrities, criminals and your neighbors. In fact, there are more captive-bred tigers in private homes in Texas than in the wild in India. I found
42 Collier/Lee Counties
a tiger in the back of a feed store in Idaho, a colony of chimpanzees in the countryside south of St. Louis and laundry bags full of pythons at a former missile base in the Everglades. There are legal auctions of exotic
animals from aardvarks to zebras in Missouri, and sales of black market chimps on the Internet.
You have stated that illegal trading of wild and protected animals is growing exponen-
tially; how profitable is this? Wild animal trafficking profits are estimated by Interpol to be $10 billion to $20 billion a year. It’s the third most lucrative illegal business in the world, trailing only drugs and weapons smuggling. It is easy to accom- plish, the risks of capture are slim and penalties are minimal. Many amateurs also bring in animals for their own pleasure, based on their personal fascination for the exotic. Legal trade in endangered animals also 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?
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com
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 entertaining 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 cannot 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 creates further repercus- sions 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 attacking and even killing their owners after years of mutual affection. No one knows what makes the wild side emerge to disastrous results.
What should buyers of ex- otic animals under-
stand? I view our attempts at taming animals as little more than subju- gation. That’s understand-
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72