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One Viewpoint
by John K. Babb |
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There are a
group of people that believe the keeping of wild animals as pets should be
made illegal. This group also opposes the propagation of wildlife in the
private sector. This is one viewpoint; but I hold another.
Many people would rebuke this argument with a simple statement of- "It is my
right to keep wild animals as pets!". Although the statement may be a
factual one at present, this legal right may not always exist. So let me go
beyond this rebuttal, which is one that can be easily compared to a child's
reply of "because!" when a question is put to him, and address the main
issue directly. Remember, our agreement as a people to protect the rights of
all to disagree openly is an essential part of how new laws are made and old
ones are upheld. So in expressing the reasoning behind my one viewpoint
maybe I can change someone's mind or at least show them how I arrived at my
way of thinking.
Mankind is but a part of the ecology of this planet. We can't simply
separate ourselves from the other animals in our environment. In fact, by
doing so would be effecting the lives of the very animals with which we are
trying to separate ourselves. It has even been stated that the mere
observance of our environment effects it's processes. When we shine a light
on something in order to observe it we have in fact changed what we are
observing. Man's over population and destruction of habitat is a fact
whether we like it or not and is an example of the unavoidable influence we
have on the animal kingdom. Therefore, it is not whether or not to interact
but rather how we choose to interact with our brother animals.
In my heart, I just can not believe that my serval cat that plays with me so
eagerly and receives the best veterinary care, the best nutrition, a great
deal of space in which to play freely with his mate, is being mistreated
either physically or philosophically. The domestic cats of today were once
wild but over time became domesticated because it brought great joy to the
people who kept them. The domestic cat itself has flourished, unlike many
wild species of today which with their habitats disappearing and their
numbers decreasing, are in danger of possible extinction unless man
intervenes positively.
Many within the group of people which disagree with my viewpoint have no
problems with wild animals kept in a zoo. In response to this I simply say
there is nothing magical about the word 'zoo". For a relatively nominal fee
and some additional paper work a private owner's facility can be legally
categorized as a "zoo". This guarantees no better or worse treatment of the
animals. As in all walks of life, there exists both good and bad. There are
good responsible zoos and ones not quite so responsible. Another fact about
zoos is that many of them don't have breeding programs for all of their
exhibits so they go to the private sector in order to replenish or improve
their animal populations. For some species of animals private ownership and
propagation programs are the only thing between them and outright
extinction. The increasing number of private breeders also helps with the
problem of breeding animals to closely related and thereby eliminating
certain genetic defects in-breeding can cause. To conclude this point, I
personally have seen many private facilities far superior in both size,
animal care, and maintenance than those offered a particular species of
animal within a 'zoo".
In the final analysis, if the animal is well cared for physically, mentally,
and shown compassion with a commitment to last the animals entire lifetime
then a healthy and beneficial interaction for both man and animal exists.
This is one viewpoint.
John K. Babb
Valley Stables and Exotic Alterative Livestock
Berea, KY
(606) 925-2242 |
