What does the future hold for a wild animal held in private ownership?
Most owners are ignorant of a wild animal’s needs. Many practicing veterinarians can neither properly diagnose nor effectively treat health problems in wild animals. The animal’s behavior is usually misunderstood and often radically altered in captivity as a result of inappropriate care. In order to domesticate the animal, many owners resort to such extreme measures as defanging, declawing, and castration. If the owner decides to get rid of the animal, it is usually impossible to find a new home. Obviously, other individuals are no better equipped than the original owner to care for a wild animal; reputable zoos, for a variety of reasons, generally do not accept such animals; and other facilities that will take them must be regarded with suspicion. The few wildlife sanctuaries that exist are often stretched to the breaking point, and local animal shelters are ill-equipped to handle anything other than the occasional raccoon.
