Search
Close this search box.

Get Our Updates!

No More Wild Pets Campaign

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Pinterest
Print

I_am_an_appropriate_pet

We created our No More Wild Pets© campaign to increase public awareness about the captive wildlife crisis and decrease the number of wild animals being kept as pets. We strive to inspire people to keep the wild in their heart, not their home, and advocate for adopting appropriate pets instead.

Why is education so important?

A significant factor in making the wildlife trade possible is the general public’s lack of awareness of the captive wildlife crisis and the dangers involved with private ownership of wild animals.

Every year, thousands of big cats are sold as pets.  What happens to these animals is criminal. Some are abused or neglected, others are simply abandoned. All are denied their right to be wild.

Because there’s little regulation, exotic ownership has turned into a multi-billion dollar industry.

At first cute and cuddly, they soon grow into dangerous carnivores that are, all too often, destined to life in a backyard cage under deplorable conditions.

Even though the Big Cat Public Safety Act became law, there are still so many other wild species bought, traded and sold.  And we know there is still an underground trade of big cats sold and purchased as pets.

Unlike domestic pets, there are few re-homing options for unwanted exotics. There can never be enough sanctuaries to take in all these unwanted animals.

Why are wild pets so available?

  • As of 2012, there are estimated 10,000-20,000 big cats in private hands – and they just keep breeding. These aren’t in zoos and accredited facilities, as youmight think. Surprisingly, 95% of all tigers in the US are privately owned.
  • Wild animals can be bought at auctions, from backyard breeders, on the illegal black market, via internet brokers, stolen from their natural wild habitats, or picked up as discarded surplus from zoos, roadside attractions, game ranches, etc.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture employs around 110 relevant inspectors for 10,000 locations countrywide. There are around 2,400 zoos in the U.S., the vast majority of which are considered “roadside zoos.” Their conditions are poor even to untrained eyes.  Just because a facility has a USDA license, it doesn’t assure the animals are well cared for.  Only minimal standards are required for a license.
  • It can take 5-10 years for authorities to shut down a substandard USDA licensed facility with multiple violations, injuries, and/or escapes.  The legal process drags on while the animals continue to suffer and the public is at risk.
  • As much needed legislation is passed and greater control is brought to the largely unregulated practice of importing, breeding, buying, and selling wild animals as pets, there are likely to be confiscated or abandoned exotic animals in increasing numbers. Critical to this will be the provision of accredited and secure facilities like The Wildcat Sanctuary and other wild animal sanctuaries to provide big cat rescue services and appropriate life-long care for all these animals.

TV PSA’s for you to share:

Listen to the No More Wild Pets Radio PSA here.

No home, no cage, no backyard will ever replace a wild animals’ natural habitat.  A ban on breeding and private ownership, as well as educating the public about the problems of trying to keep wild animals as pets, is our only hope for solving this captive crisis.

Why adopting an appropriate pet is so important

Animal welfare programs have made huge strides in reducing the number of unwanted animals killed in shelters each year. But, the numbers are still staggering.

With approximately 5-7 million companion animals entering animal shelters nationwide every year, 3-4 million still end up being euthanized (60% of dogs and 70% of cats).  With so many wonderful domestic animals in desperate need of homes, there is simply no excuse for purchasing or breeding dangerous exotics as pets.

  • 5,000 independent community animal shelters nationwide offer a continuous, affordable supply of wonderful companion animals to choose from. 25% of dogs who enter local shelters are purebred.  If a family has their heart set on a specific breed, a simple internet search will lead to rescue groups for that particular breed in almost all states.
  • An adorable dog or cat can be adopted from the comfort of your home.  Online adoptions are available through www.Petfinder.com, virtual home of 314,319 adoptable pets from 13,763 adoption groups.  Other reputable online adoption agencies can be found at www.adoptapet.com and www.pets911.com
  • Despite all the shelter dogs in need of homes, there are still 6,000 federally licensed puppy mills breeding and supplying pet stores with a constant stream of puppies.  About 4 million dogs are bred in puppy mills each year, while nearly the same numbers are being euthanized in shelters each year.

It’s cruel and doesn’t make sense. By adopting, rather than shopping for appropriate pets, the abusive puppy mill industry can also be shut down.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

  • Adopt, don’t shop. Don’t purchase a pet – domestic or exotic.  Always adopt a homeless pet from a shelter or rescue organization and remember to spay/neuter to prevent overpopulation.
  • Never have your picture taken with an exotic animal or pay to play with one.  These are money-making schemes that just encourage rampant breeding of more and more baby exotics.  Think about where all these animals will end up when they grow up.
  • Don’t attend traveling exhibitions or roadside attractions featuring exotic wild animals.  It’s a case of supply and demand. If we can stop the demand for wild animals, we can stop the breeding by suppliers.
  • Contact fair organizers, malls, or venues exhibiting exotic animals to let them know you will not patronize them.  Also, be sure to contact your local news media with letters to the editors or phone calls about the captive wildlife crisis.  Like most people, many reporters know little about what’s behind these exhibits.
  • Educate your children, your schools and civic organizations about the inherent abuse of life on the road for circus animals and other exotics on display.  You’ll be surprised how few people have ever thought about it.  The more who know, the more we save.

 

 

Join The Conversation