Ban Exotic Animals As Pets in Indiana
Exotic animals belong in their natural habitat. If individuals among us feel the need to confine these wild animals for their own entertainment, then we need laws to stop them.
Indiana allows private ownership of exotic animals like lions, tigers, cougars, ocelots, wolves, bears, alligators, and nonhuman primates. These “pets” have attacked humans and other animals, can transmit disease to humans, and are often killed when they escape from their enclosures. Maintaining exotic animals as pets is dangerous, irresponsible, and inhumane.
Act Now!
Tell Indiana to ban private ownership of exotic animals.
- Sign the petition calling for an exotic pet ban in Indiana
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Why it matters
It’s inhumane. Kept as pets, the wild animals suffer and are confined to small enclosures that lack mental stimulation. According to the advocacy group Born Free USA, “individuals possessing exotic animals often attempt to change the nature of the animal rather than the nature of the care provided.” Though their owners may think they “love” the animal – loving a being means wanting what’s best for it, even if it causes us pain. In a sanctuary, these exotic “pets” would receive care from highly trained individuals, live in natural habitat enclosures, and would be interacted with appropriately and respectfully.
In addition, confining exotic animals in our neighborhoods is dangerous to the individuals who keep them as pets, to their neighbors, and to the community in general. Exotic animals pose serious health risks to humans and can transmit zoonotic diseases like Herpes B, Monkey Pox, and Salmonellosis. The keeping of these wild animals is a public health and safety risk.
It’s time we help these poor animals, and prevent others from facing the same fate! Tell Indiana: The time has come to enact legislation banning private ownership of exotic pets.
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8 Responses to Ban Exotic Animals As Pets in Indiana
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CONGRATULATIONS!
whoa …. before asking for signatures on the petition, how ’bout publishing the actual text of the proposed law? The banning of animals that people choose to keep as pets is a very slippery slope.
Hi, Patti! You’re absolutely right that, if there were a law proposed, the content would be very important. There isn’t a proposal, though. This petition is asking the Governor to get to work! The outgoing governor in Ohio took action, and we’re asking Indiana’s governor to do the same! Here’s what happened in Ohio for reference: http://www.necn.com/01/06/11/Exiting-Ohio-governor-orders-ban-on-exot/landing_nation.html?&blockID=3&apID=93916fe7089f4b7887dd2fd49abd18fd
Being from Indianapolis, IN I know all too well the laws regarding exotic animals and this was one of the causes I was going to be blogging about shortly but you beat me to it. Thanks for making others aware of this.
Lions and tigers and bears as pets…oh my! You are right, a proposal against keeping exotic pets needs to be considered there. I’d be interested to know how many states have this law, and how many don’t. I bet we’ll need to ask plenty of other governors to get to work too!
You’re absolutely right, Peggy! Here is a link to a summary of the laws on the books in the states: http://exoticpets.about.com/od/choosinganexoticpet/a/Exotic-Pet-Laws.htm
As a reptile owner, and founder of a reptile education and rescue group, I worry about exotic animal bans. The reptile community is currently under attack by various animal rights groups, whose sole agenda is that, eventually, no one owns ANY sort of animals! Funded by such AR behemoths as PETA and HSUS, these organizations are bound and determined to get THEIR way, regardless of anyone else’s rights, beliefs, and feelings!
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The really sad and worrying thing, is that many of these wild animals are endangered, and individual creatures are needed desperately for conservation and breeding efforts. The genealogical pool amongst many zoo and wildlife park animals is constantly shrinking, new genetic material is desperately needed to ensure a strong chance of their future survival. Just because a person is rich does not give them the right to alter the course of an entire species. Legislation need not be a “slippery slope”, as it does not take a genius to figure out which animals are suited to human co-habitation, and which aren’t.