Risks of Owning Exotic Pets
For centuries, animals and humans have intersected in their journeys. Today, dogs and cats rank as the most popular pets among people, yet there are those who find themselves fascinated by animals of a more exotic nature.
These are the species better left for the wild. Human owners cannot possibly provide all of the adequate supplies and land to care for an animal like an elephant or an alligator, but it doesn’t stop them from trying.
If dogs insurance will not cover the aftermath of certain breeds acting out, like Siberian huskies and pit bulls, then other insurance policies are certainly going to leave you out to dry if your pet monkey makes a mess or destroys another person’s property.
We’ll talk about all the risks of owning exotic pets, from the imminent danger the animals put their owners into to the financial costs that insurance will not cover when the animal acts out.
Trouble Finding Medical Assistance
If you decide to buy an animal out of the ordinary, you are risking having a hard time finding a veterinary clinic that will be able to aid you when the animal is unhealthy. Dogs, cats, and birds are incredibly common, and veterinarians know about the diseases and health problems they endure throughout their lifespans.
Other more obscure pets are going to be much harder to get medical assistance with. If you own a python that gets sick, this is going to be a little different to treat than an ill poodle. Great vets are going to have the skills to cross over into all different types of animals, even ones they hardly ever treat.
Other vets are going to have a more limited knowledge that doesn’t extend past the basic pet breeds. Always talk to your vet about what they know about the unusual pet that you own. If they do not have sufficient knowledge, ask if they have any suggestions of doctors who might be more helpful.
This is not always going to be a successful attempt at medical help, though. Vets go to school and learn about the general survey of animals they will be treated throughout their career. Chimpanzees and bears are not going to be under that umbrella very often.
In addition, exotic pet insurance can be expensive and difficult to obtain. Think hard about this before buying an exotic pet. If you care about animals, don’t ruin their lives by putting them at risk of enduring health problems that can’t be treated.
Exotic Animals Are Dangerous
This should go without saying, but people have a hard time accepting it. Wild animals are different from domestic pets. Their instincts are to hunt as predators or to protect themselves as prey. Either way, they are dangerous to humans. When an animal is trying to get food or prevent themselves from being food, they use all of their tools to get what they need.
Sharp claws, huge teeth, insane muscular strength, and so many more physical attributes are required to survive in the wild and are still a part of an animal when you put them in a human environment. Instinct is real. It can’t be taken away, even if an owner feels like they are providing a home life that removes these instincts.
One of the most infamous stories of an exotic pet ending in horrific tragedy is the maiming of Charla Nash by Travis the chimpanzee.
The woman came to check on the ape, who belonged to her friend, Sandra Herold. In an act of random violence, Travis nearly murdered Nash without provocation. Nash required revolutionary facial transplant surgeries in the years after the event.
This story serves to show how wild animals can do things seemingly without reason, and they have the ability to do serious damage to their human owners. Regular people also do not have the intelligence or the animal welfare knowledge to properly care for animals like these. Leave the exotic animal ownership to the zoos and conservation locations.
Home Insurance Costs Are High
If a homeowners insurance company learns you own an exotic pet, your insurance costs are going to go through the roof. This is because you have become a large risk for claims being filed against you. Animal-related damage and attacks are going to be the owner’s responsibility, and often you won’t even be able to find insurance that will pay for something your animal did.
Even a normal pet like a Siberian husky makes your insurance rates go higher. This is because these dogs are hyper and more sociable. Their interactions with strangers and other animals could lead to violence or accidents far more often than with owning other dogs.
If you can prove your animal has never attacked anyone and they have a history of good behavior, this can help you get better insurance rates. This is similar to the way that auto insurance companies look at a driver’s history before giving out rates. There is a history of certain breeds causing mayhem and affecting others, leading to an insurance claim.
Other People Will Fear You
You do not want your animal to be so out of the ordinary it scares your neighbors and your friends. Going over to someone’s house usually doesn’t include having to be around a bear or a giraffe. If you have a large social circle, you’ll risk scaring them away by purchasing animals that are better left with Mother Nature.
Typical pets like dogs and cats can get boring for those who have a love for many different types of animals. This isn’t an excuse for buying these weird pets, though. Go on a safari. Visit the aquarium. Go into animal research or take a class on animal biology at a community college.
There are other ways to satisfy your need for animal interaction than buying something belonging to the wild. This will also be helpful in keeping the people you care about in your life. Don’t put others in danger because you want to own something exotic.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the insurance comparison site, USInsuranceAgents.com. He enjoys helping people see the things that could potentially impact their rates that typically go under the radar.
