Q and A with Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital on illegal wild animal trade
Some more information is given by the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital on why owning wild animals as pets is a bad idea.
Glenferness’ Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital shared their views on owning wild and exotic animals as pets after an eight-year-old female tiger named Sheba recentlymade headlines for escaping her enclosure and roaming around Walkerville before being euthanised.
Legal and operations lead at the hospital, Wendy Willson gave more information on the subject of owning wild animals as pets.
Q: Why do people keep these pets?
A: Exotic wild animals and indigenous wild animals?? I would say largely for that ‘wow’ factor of having an unusual animal to bolster image, and status or for ‘bragging rights’.
Q: Of the exotic/wild animals the veterinary hospital treats, are there cases where these animals are pets as opposed to living in the wild?
A: The hospital does not treat exotic animals. But we do admit wild animals that have been kept as pets and are then surrendered or confiscated by enforcement entities as well as wild-caught animals that were destined for the pet/commercial trade.
Q: How do you surrender a pet when you no longer want it?
A: A pet of any sort is a financial, time and resource commitment and should not be purchased or accepted unless the prospective owner has a good understanding of what the animal’s requirements are and what the owner’s commitments would be and can commit to that for the lifetime of that animal. If you have an indigenous wild animal that you understand would be happier being returned to the wild where possible it can be surrendered to the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital.
Q: What to know before you get an exotic or wild animal as a pet?
A: Don’t!
Q: What is the difference between a domesticated, wild, and exotic animal?
A: Domesticated animal: These are animals that are selectively bred and have over time genetically adapted to live alongside humans, according to the National Geographic website. Exotic animal: This is a species that has not been classically domesticated, and is indigenous to the country. Wild animal: A wild animal from another country or continent (not indigenous) being kept in this country.
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