To those who are looking to get their first wild animal or hybrid as a pet.

 

Through watching people’s experiences over the last few years, I have come to the realization that wild animals and hybrids are not suitable as pets for most people.  While the allure of sharing your life with a beautiful and magnificent wild animal is quite fascinating…the reality is that these animals are wonderful in specific settings but should not be expected to fill the same niche as our family pets who have spent tens of thousands of years being domesticated. 

 

I still believe responsible people should be allowed the right to keep certain species of exotics, and I respect other people’s opinions on this issue, so I don’t expect everyone else to accept my views. But I hope I can share some of my experience to help educate prospective first timers about the realities of living with wild animals, to hopefully help slow down the spread of unwanted animals with no place to go. 

 

Some serious points to consider about keeping these animals:  

 

Vaccines.  Due to the lack of scientific testing of rabies vaccines on wild animals, wild animals and hybrids are not normally given the same protection under the law that their domestic counterparts receive.  There is no accepted quarantine period for a captive wild animal or a hybrid if it bites a human or someone’s pet. Even when an apparently healthy wild or hybrid animal maintained in a closed environment for its entire life just barely nips someone enough to break the skin, it can mean immediate euthanasia for the animal and sending the head in to a lab for testing.   

 

Shelters.  Ending up in a shelter for a wolfdog may mean a quick death sentence as many shelters will refuse to house such an animal.  And it is sad to see how quickly a wild cat or wolfdog needs a new home when his owner must relocate to another state for work where the animal is not permitted.  Wild predators have high prey drives and the neighbor won’t care to understand why his yippy little dachshund was devoured, nor will the authorities be compassionate if a visiting child gets injured.  

 

Too few people really understand and respect the needs of these magnificent creatures and they fail to realize the commitment it is going to require before they decide to bring that cute furry baby home.  

 

Safety.  As wild animals or hybrids mature, they can easily become overwhelming for many people, even for the people that did extensive research and are sure they are up for the challenge.  To be able to co-habitate successfully with wild animals, people must learn to meet the needs of the animal without expecting more from the animal than it is willing to give.  And even with the best laid plans and the right intent, disasters can still occur.  It only takes an instant for things to go wrong.  While the animal may be ready to romp and play the next moment, often humans aren’t quite so ready to forget.

 

While I knew all this before I decided to share my life with wild animals, it didn’t quite sink in until experiencing it myself.  There are people that do wonderfully living with these animals and are able to provide great lives for the animals in their care, but my success ratio at finding good homes for my babies has been far too small. 

 

Dedication.  And to top it off, raising healthy, happy babies, domestic or wild, is hard work and is very time consuming, better left to people with plenty of knowledge and years of experience.

 

For those people who decide they are ready to bring a wild animal or hybrid into their life:

 

Commitment.  I urge you to do your research, and be willing to make the same type of commitment that most people are willing to make to their children.  All animals, especially exotics, need proper socialization, consistent training, and lots of love.  If they develop a certain habit or attitude that doesn’t fit in with your lifestyle, you need to adjust your training or lifestyle to meet their needs.  

 

Obligation.  If you get to a point you feel overwhelmed and are ready to give up, get outside advice on how to make things work with the animal before deciding to dump it off on someone else. Exotics bond strongly to their people and often don’t do well when forced to be rehomed.

 

Responsibility.  States have varying laws regarding ownership of exotics. Don’t just believe what you hear from breeders or owners…please check for yourself.   Contact your state’s wildlife department to find out what species are allowed and what permits may be required.  It’s also a good idea to look up the applicable laws so you see it in writing. And make sure to check with your county and city ordinances, as sometimes they are more restrictive then state laws.

 

Make sure you have obtained all required permits before importing an animal into your state.  Please don’t bring an animal into a situation where it can be confiscated by authorities for being held illegally.  

 

Sincerely,

 

Deeanna Croasmun

 

NOW ON TO THE ANIMALS LOOKING FOR ADOPTION

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