Should Keeping Wild Animals As Pets Be Banned?

[naomi24]

This story really upset me this morning.   For her daughter's tenth birthday Tamara Ecclestone has bought her a sloth which, separated from its natural environment and its own kind, now resides in their London home.   If anyone wants to know what the brainless entitlement of the idle rich is, that's it.  Where do you even go to buy a sloth?   Is twonk a rude word?  It seems to fit so I sincerely hope so.   Grrrr…..

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/26821025/tamara-ecclestone-sloth-present-daughter/#:~:text=SOCIALITE%20Tamara%20Ecclestone%20got%20her,of%20the%20world's%20laziest%20creatures.

 

[ichkeria]

We had friends once who had a pet monkey tied to their Aga.

It doesn't feel right. For God's sake don't let it drive their car (Zootropia 😄)

[Smowball]

OMG that poor poor creature! How stupid can some people be!? They aren't toys!! It's completely out of its regular habitat, and will be so miserable..... : (

[Kardashev]

Just when I think human stupidity has reached a zenith....

[barry1010]

That is shocking.  

[bhg481]

I agree with the sentiments but I think it would be very difficult to legislate. Where do you draw the line? Do spiders count? Budgies are wild in Australia but bred for pets here - difficult to differentiate.

[barry1010]

They are openly for sale in USA

https://www.exoticanimalsforsale.net/sloth-for-sale.asp

[seekeerz]

Wasn't Harrods the place where you could buy literally anything ??

[barry1010]

Yes

[davebro3]

maybe re-locate Tamara E to the Madagascar rain forest.

[youngmafbog]

Yes, and that includes zoos.

[vulcan42]

Not all zoos should be sent, some do exceptional work.

From the Guardian.

Up to 48 bird and mammal extinctions have been prevented by conservation efforts since a global agreement to protect biodiversity, according to a new study.

The Iberian lynx, California condor and pygmy hog are among animals that would have disappeared without reintroduction programmes, zoo-based conservation and formal legal protections since 1993, research led by scientists at Newcastle University and BirdLife International found.

[youngmafbog]

No, no need for zoos.

Conservation can be done where the animal lives. 

[Barsel]

I bet they don't keep it for long. If they don't like to be touched, and children usually like to make a fuss of animals, they won't keep it for long.

[bhg481]

Is preventing a species from becoming extinct interfering with nature?

[davebro3]

Dunno about zoos but I think Monkey World has done amazing work with abused primates.

[davebro3]

no - driving species to the point of extinction is interfering with nature.

[vulcan42]

Conservation can be done where the animal lives. 

Surely  the problem that most endangered animals are nearing extinction is because their natural habitat is rapidly disappearing. I don't agree with the zoos that are there for the public to gawp at the animals but the ones that are saving species must continue otherwise we lose even more.

[Untitled]

there is absolutely no reason why this should be permitted. it is an indulgence which causes real harm and suffering to innocent creatures for absolutely no purpose.

[JinnyJoan]

there are loads of these exotic animals out of habitat 

[jackthehat]

Yes. 

It beggars belief that anyone could, even for a single moment, think that it is appropriate to do something like this.