WTF? A Website Dedicated To Exotic 'Pet' Ownership?

[leftchick]

Incredible. WTF is wrong with these people?

http://www.rexano.org//NEWS_ARCHIVE.htm

These people are freaks! The animals are wild for a reason. Dumb fucks!

[Kajsa]

1. You're right,Leftchick.

These animals belong in the wild, in my opinion.

This is so sad.

:(

I'm not referring to animals who are rehabbed at
Animal Rescue shelters, then returned to the
wild either.

They provide a valuable service to our wildlife.

When I returned from Mexico last August, US Customs
had several signs posted at LAX, warning against illegal
smuggling of animals from outside the country.

[leftchick]

2. there was the killing of a toddler by a 'Tame' Tiger here in NC

his father was a complete moron sadly for the little boy. :(

[Kajsa]

18. That is so sad!

:(

[leftchick]

25. here is another accident waiting to happen....

that is a cougar cub

[Kajsa]

31. Yep, when that cub gets

bigger, the situation will be very different.

:(

[Ghost in the Machine]

3. Well hell, I must be a "dumb fuck" too...

This is what shared my home for a while:






Yes, that's an American Alligator. He was 3'1" long. I caught him at the lake, where some dumbass had turned him loose. It took me a while to find him a good home. If I had just called the Game Warden and reported it, the gator would be dead today. That's how they deal with them around here... shoot first, ask questions later.. I feel like such a dumb fuck for saving this critter's life....

[leftchick]

5. oh please

nothing like manipulating the intent of the OP. Did you actively pursue owning an exotic because it is cool? No! Did you do the responsible thing? Yes. That makes you not a dumb fuck.

[Merlot]

6. No, you did the right thing. You rescued an animal and found it a proper home

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic, but the people who own big cats aren't saving their lives. They are actually putting their lives in danger as well as making them live in circumstances that are totally inhumane to the animals.

[leftchick]

10. thank you for making the OP clear

for some. :crazy:

[Cobalt-60]

8. you had it on life support

Thats different from "Gee, what this house really needs is a 4 meter alligator."
I hit an owl with my car once and put him up until his wing mended.
I liked him, but I wouldn't have wanted him as a permanent dweller in my basement.

[Kajsa]

38. Thank you for saving him,GITM.

Some of these animals can't be returned to the wild, as they
would not survive.

You found a good home for him, and you saved his life.

Thank You!

:)

[jmowreader]

47. Dude, you should have kept it...

You could have used it to cut down on your community's Republican problem.

[Merlot]

4. These people are being cruel to these animals.

It's so sad. For what they spend on food for one large animal, many domestic animals could be rescued, fed, and spayed.

What is really a travesty is the breeders. Tippi Hendren has been trying to make it illegal to breed exotic animals. She runs a wonderful sanctuary for big cats. These animals are not "pure" so zoos won't take them. Eventually people realize they can no longer contain and/or feed the big cats. Then they can be sent to wildlife canned hunts. It's disgusting and appalling and these people disgust me.

Oh, and guess who's two tigers ended up ant Tippi's sanctuary? Non other than michael jackson. And since it costs thousands of dollars to feed these big cats daily , you'd think he'd pitch in right? Wrong. His big cats are now on "Tippi" welfare.

You can see the big cats here: http://www.shambala.org/ They give tours which are really a wonderful learning experience.

[leftchick]

11. I am aware of her rescue efforts

She is a real inspiration. Check out this page from the website disparaging rescue groups. They really are delusional.

http://www.rexano.org/wao.htm

[Merlot]

12. I think I'll pass on that.

I'm trying to stay positive these days. Ssince I'll no longer be forced to witness incredible stupidity and cruelty on a daily basis (bushco & co), I won't seek it out either.

Stupidity can go shrivel up and die a stupid death.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

7. Awwwwww I'm So Jealous. That's Awesome!

I always wanted to be able to have pets like that. Too cool!

And as long as they are aware of the responsibility and consequences and are committed to taking care of the animals properly, than no, they're not dumb fucks regardless of your opinion.

[Merlot]

13. Yes, the big cat cramped up in the small house really thinks "too cool"

And when one day he gets angry and his true preditor nature comes out, he'll be killed.

In the mean time, he eats about a 70 lbs of meat a day.

I have an 8 lb cat, and when he gets frightend or scared, well he can do some serious damage. So to think that it's safe to have these big animals around is just not realistic.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

15. And You Happen To Know The Environment Provided For It How Now?

Oh, that's right, YOU DON'T.

The site is dedicated to responsible ownership and ethical treatment. Doubt you explored it at all though. :hi:

[Merlot]

19. Well, look at the photos. Do you see any animals outside?

No, they are being cuddled like housecats. It takes acres and acres of land to simulate the big cats natural habitat. Do those people look like they have acres and acres of land?

I didn't explores the site becasue in my opinion it's not ethical to have big cats as house pets.

[Political Tiger]

21. I agree, it is unethical.

a lion isn't meant to be a pet anymore than a water buffalo is!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

22. Know What Your Opinion Means?

Exactly squat.

[Kajsa]

32. OMC - WTH?

Her opinion carries the same weight as everyone else,
including yours.

[Political Tiger]

20. Animals like that are not domesticated

animals like dogs and cats. They are wild animals. It's morally wrong, not to mention generally illegal, to take an animal that belongs in the wild and try to turn it into a personal pet.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

23. That's Your Opinion.

Not all share it.

Get over it.

[Political Tiger]

26. It's not an opinion, it's a fact.

Simply put:

WHAT IS A DOMESTIC ANIMAL?

"A domestic animal is one which has been selectivity bred in captivity and thereby modified from its ancestors for use by humans who control the animals breeding and food supply"

WHY HAVE SOME ANIMALS BEEN DOMESTICATED AND NOT OTHERS?

Jared Diamond, an Anthropologist and Biologist, has studied animal domestication and its impact on human civilization closely. He states that of around 150 species of terrestrial non carnivores weighing over 100 lbs, only 14 have been domesticated. Of these 13 are of Eurasian origin, and the other is from the mesoamerica (the Llama).


http://asci.uvm.edu/course/asci001/domestic.html

[leftchick]

28. it is a fact

I knew a woman many years ago who bred wolves with dogs. They always scared me when she brought them around.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

35. Wow. You Really Did Have That Much Trouble Comprehending Which Part Of Your Post My Reply Was

towards huh...

:dunce:

[Crunchy Frog]

41. There's nothing stopping you. I'd go for it.

Your kids might end up as dinner, but that's a small price to pay. :shrug:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

43. Sure There Is.

First off, as you say, my kids would stop me from getting something like that; DUH.

Second of all, the laws in my state completely disallow it.

So your post was all sorts of uninformed and silly.

[Crunchy Frog]

44. You could always work to change your state's tyrranical laws,

Or you could engage in civil disobedience, just like Rosa Parks.

As for your kids, it would be a great thing for show and tell, and overall very educational. The minor risk involved is surely no more than many gun-owners with young children take. Speaking of which, I'll bet they're excellent protection against intruders.

[flvegan]

45. Sweet Jesus, that's ignorant.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

46. Look, No One's Asking You To Eat Them, Ok?

:rofl:

[Cobalt-60]

9. they're taking some risks

A lion, tiger, bear, or other large predator can easily kill their owners in light play.
Then there is the animal's health.
A big cat needs a lot of space. They don't get it in Manhattan.
These guys often end up killed in canned "hunts" when their original owners can't handle them any more.
I wouldn't allow it myself.
But as long as it is allowed, maybe its better if theres some support for them.

[TheWraith]

14. Aw, kitties!

Beautiful critters, though I wonder how the hell one would feed them.

[rcrush]

16. It must be fun to clean up lion shit.

Are those kids toys in the background of that lion picture?

[leftchick]

24. it looks like a bong to me

;)

[Crunchy Frog]

42. Especially if it contains bits of your next door neighbor. n/t

[cynatnite]

17. It's too bad that irresponsible pet owners make the good ones look bad n/t

[Robb]

27. You're just jealous

...of my rather bitchin' giraffe. That's all this post is.

[asdjrocky]

29. Tweekers and fools.

Not so much fun when one bites your head off.

[enuegii]

33. I like playing around with cats...

sometimes they get a little frisky, and I have scratches and scars to show for it. I've also had cats get startled, freak out and try to climb me. Those damn claws hurt!
Now, a good sized housecat might weigh around 10-12 pounds-- a full-grown lion, what, about 400? And tigers more than that. The thought of messing around with a cat that big makes my blood run cold.
And also, these animals belong in the wild. I mean, what would someone actually need one for? Thinning out the herd of zebras in their back yard?

[asdjrocky]

34. Perhaps it's the animals that will thin the herd for us?

Just a thought.

[leftchick]

48. I am sure it is an ignorant human ego trip

at the expense of the poor animals. :(

[L0oniX]

30. There isn't much "wild" areas left for these animals and there's only so many zoo's.

If people can take care of them properly I have no problem with it. It's the idiots who buy one and then later on realize just how much money and time it takes to properly care for them and so eventually they neglect them or they become complacent and then something happens. Even when they are properly taken care of they can and do turn on you so you better realize the risk before you take one on. I own 4 parrots and sure I will die before they do but someone has to keep the breeds going and if no one took on the responsibility of being a caretaker then they will die off and that's a far worse fate.

[leftchick]

36. um that would be the majority of them

fools all. My best friend has several parrots too. They can be domesticated. Tigers, Lions, Cougars? Not so much.

examples...

<snip>

More surprising was the incident in New York City that same month involving Antoine Yates, a public-housing resident who kept a 425-lb. tiger in his apartment. The city caught wise when Yates showed up at a local hospital with an injury he claimed was caused by a pit bull. Police closed in on his apartment and found the tiger. The animal was sent to an Ohio sanctuary, and Yates was evicted, having manifestly violated the public-housing rule allowing him one petunder 40 lbs.

Just last month, another tiger shook up New York City after it escaped from a circus in Queens. The animal caused a multicar crack-up but no serious injuries when it strolled down the Jackie Robinson Parkway and lay down on a nearby street. A handler lured the tiger back into its cage and returned it to the circus.

Things did not work out so well a couple of weeks earlier when Bobo, a 600-lb. declawed tiger, escaped from a compound in Florida, where it had been kept by Steve Sipek, 62, who played Tarzan in movies in the 1960s and '70s. Wildlife officials shot and killed the animal. More tragically, last December a 10-year-old boy in Millers Creek, N.C., was killed by a tiger owned by a neighbor. The boy's uncle shot and killed the tiger.

Last year President George Bush signed a bill limiting interstate trafficking of large predators. Only 20 states ban private ownership of big cats outright. With as many as 7,000 pet tigers thought to be living in the U.S., it is certain that at least some of them will cross paths with humans again. --By Jeffrey Kluger

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994922,00.html

[LeftinOH]

37. Fortunately, there is a place that'll take these animals (big cats) in when the owners can't handle

their exotic "pets". The Roar Foundation/Shambala Reserve
http://www.shambala.org/

[ColbertWatcher]

39. Unfortunately, there will never be a shortage of assholes keeping them in business.

Where do people get the idea that it's okay to keep a wild animal in their house?

I blame that damn lion youtube video.

[Dukkha]

40. way too many people like that

our local zoo, Jack Hanna's, gets several calls every week from people wanting to unload their 'exotic' pets because they cannot care for them. Didn't realize what it took just thought it would be 'cool' to have an animal that costs too much to keep and they can't control it's behavior.

I just saw how Orangutans are saved from people selling them. They find them in street markets and they have to buy all their fruit and ask for the animal as a bonus. They can never offer cash for them even to free them into the wild because it only legitimized the poaching and creates a cash incentive to capture them.

For the record I do have one pet you could call exotic. A Goliath Bird Eater spider. A Big beast with an 8” leg span and growing. Far from being threatened and raised by a breeder in a local shop. It eats crickets and live mice. It is poisonous with 1" fangs but only as dangerous as a bee sting.