Exotic pet amnesty day

[Catherine]

Brevard Zoo in Florida held an exotic pet amnesty day. This allowed people to bring in exotic pets that they could no longer keep. They paired this with an adoption event so the animals went to good homes.

http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...t=2&at=dt0


I think this is a great idea. They didn't ask where the animals came from and they didn't make an issue if the animal was not legal. This prevents animals being turned loose to die or worse become a destructive invasive species. Everybody wins in this case. They didn't ask why suddenly you can't keep the bird you have had for 20 years. If people no longer want the animal they provided a safe way for them to get rid of it. It also provided a way for people who want the animals to come and get them.

Good thing I don't live near there. Some of those lizards looked pretty nice.

[Tobi]

That is a good idea, and will certainly prevent an animal living with people who don't know how to care for it, or are too busy to do the right thing for their animal. It's good there was an opportunity for adoption going on also.

Dumping a creature in the wild is a cruel thing to do.

[Catherine]

Most of those animals would die in the wild. Some people get something without thinking over what it would mean to have that animal for twenty years.
I wish more places would have an amnesty like that. Too often turtles are dumped. If they don't die they end up causing problems for local wildlife.

The adopting idea makes the whole amnesty work for the animals. They leave the wrong home for a right one.

[Tobi]

I was sometimes very stupid when I was younger. When I was a student, we had to move out of the place we lived (I shared with some others)Our lives were very ragged and irregular, and either we couldn't take pets with us....or what, I can't remember now. We had three goldfish. We let them go in the Whitestone Pond on Hampstead Heath. We honestly thought we were doing them a favour.
It was a romantic notion, "They had finally found their freedom". We hadn't got a clue. There were probably Pike in that deep pond, and the Goldfish lasted five minutes....I don't know. But I am sorry.

If I did it, I can see why others do it. We are so wrong. Domestic-bred creatures are not suited to wild conditions -ever. But that I have learned, over the years.

[Catherine]

We just didn't understand. Now we know there should be no animals turned loose, but of course people still do it.

That is why an amnesty like this is so important.

My mother turned some of my pets loose. I feel bad about all the turtles. They never asked to be pets and they all deserve better than they get. And then they get dumped where they can't survive.

Maybe the amnesty program will teach people and stop  animals from having unhappy lives.