Should the U.S. Government Prohibit Ownership of Dangerous Pets?

Should the U.S. Government Prohibit Ownership of Dangerous Pets?

American Government and Politics

From tigers to crocodiles, it is simple as ABC: they are wild dangerous animals. Nowadays keeping of wild and exotic animals as home pets has become normal practice in the U.S. More and more people brag with the fact of owning tigers, wolves, bears and even crocodiles at home. Often bought as babies, when exotic pets become too much to handle, they cannot be kept in small cages anymore. Even captive-bred wild animals have wild instincts, and smaller animals can attack too. There is also the risk of getting such diseases as: Herpes B virus, Salmonella and even HIV and AIDS. It may come as a surprise that in some states of America wild exotic animals are legal as pets. However, it is not usually taken into consideration, that untamed animals can attack, spread disease, and the average pet owner cannot provide the care they need in imprisonment. Although having dangerous pets at home is already prohibited in some states of America, the U.S. government should ban private ownership of wild pets in the whole country.
Many people are drawn to the ownership of exotic pets without understanding the responsibilities in the adequate care of these creatures. Moreover, they forget about the danger that these animals posses to human life. Jennifer Hillman, Washington State Government Affairs Coordinator for The HSUS, states that, “Wild animals belong in the wild, not in our bedrooms and basements. Keeping them as exotic pets is dangerous for both public safety and the welfare of the animals” (1).   People should not forget that most of the wild animals are predators. Having at home such animals as tigers, bears or crocodiles is obviously risky; no matter how safe is the cage. The proper example of having wild animal at home can be drawn from fatal experience in Ohio. Brent Kandra, worked for notorious exotic animal owner and exhibitor Sam Mazzola as an animal caretaker, was...