Tiger King—The real underlying message!
During this unprecedented time of quarantine and social distancing, many people have tuned into the new and dramatic docuseries, Tiger King. Although this sensational reality TV show is wildly entertaining, it also shines a light on the horrors of exotic animals being improperly cared for and bred in captivity.
Dan Ashe, the president & CEO of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), writes: “Private ownership of tigers and other big cats, chimpanzees and other primates, and a wide range of other “exotic” animals as vanity pets or for commercial exploitation in poorly run roadside zoos is a serious animal welfare problem and poses real dangers to both people and animals. In some cases, private ownership even increases the risk of a species’ extinction.”
The Big Cat Public Safety Act is an urgently needed solution to the problem of big cats kept as pets in unsafe and abusive circumstances. The bill would amend the Captive Wildlife Safety Act to prohibit the possession of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, or any hybrid of these species by individuals who are not licensed by the US Department of Agriculture. This would create a national law against private ownership of these animals, with exceptions for sanctuaries, universities, and zoos.
However, each state also has laws and regulations on what exotic animals can be privately owned. Before buying an exotic animal, it is crucial to do research and check with your state laws to see if this pet can be legally kept. On the Georgia Department of Natural Resources website (https://gadnrle.org/exotics), you can find a list of animals that are illegal to be kept as pets in Georgia.
The website specifically states:
“The animals listed below are examples of the exotic species regulated under Georgia Law. The Department should be consulted before any exotic animals which are not normally domesticated in Georgia are acquired. Hybrids or crosses between any combination of domestic animals, wildlife, or regulated wild animals and all subsequent generations are regulated in Georgia and may not be held without a license. The exotic species listed below, except where otherwise noted, may not be held as pets in Georgia. This list is not all-inclusive.”
Please follow the link to the website to see this extensive list of animals. As a veterinarian, I am not legally allowed to treat animals that are on this list unless a license and/or appropriate permit paperwork are provided. This is for the safety of our staff as well as the animal and client. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us and ask!