Breanna Zieher
3/10/11
Big Cats in Wisconsin
I have a question for you. Would you leave a 3 year old locked in a crib or small room without the ability to get enough food and water? Would you leave a child without toys or some other way to entertain themselves? I really hope not. Many big cats live in these conditions here in the US. If you leave a child to their own devices, they are going to do some kind of damage, whether to themselves or their surroundings. The same goes for any animal. Big cats that are locked in a cage under those circumstances are highly aggressive and fearful, which makes them more dangerous.
But why am I comparing lions and tigers to a human child? Animals have been found to have an intelligence level around that of a child. Some animals are able to pass the Self-Recognition Test. The test is quite simple; it means if the subject looks in a mirror and recognizes itself, it passes. Most human two year-olds are not yet capable of passing this test.
In WI, there are no laws or regulations controlling private ownership of big cats. Even in states where owning a big cat is banned, there are many loopholes and exceptions that people can, and do, get around. According to Big Cat Rescue, you can purchase a big cat over the internet for less than the price of a purebred puppy.
These big cats can end up in many situations. They could end up being used as nothing more than breeding stock under the pretense of Conservation. So they breed their big cats for “the cause”, except that the bloodlines are unknown so, they’re only good for selling to private owners. The rare white tigers that are seemingly highly prized aren’t their own species. The only way to get a white tiger is to inbreed with more white tigers. This leads to physical deformities, mental problems, and, likely, even death.
Most people who end up with a big cat are ignorant of their needs. That ignorance leads to neglect, abuse, and just deplorable living conditions. They need space, but normally they live in a small enclosure made out of wire fences and cement floors. Or in the opposite extreme, they are let to freely roam their owner’s property. Big cats also need the proper nutrition. The amount of food they need can get expensive fast, and their owners can’t afford to feed them but don’t want to give them up. So they starve their animals whether knowingly or out of ignorance.
There needs to be better laws so that these kinds of things don’t occur. Now it’s argued that anyone who wants to own a big cat should be able to simply because it is our right as US citizens. Just because someone wants to own a tiger or a lion doesn’t mean they should be able to. In a perfect world, these majestic beings would be able to roam in their natural environment. But that perfect world doesn’t exist. Instead, the majority of the tigers in the world are stuck in some form of a cage, mainly for human gain.
Along with the moral issues, there is also the danger involved. When people do not put the proper precautions in place, things become dangerous not just for humans. If a big cat attacks a human, no matter the reason, they are normally killed. Banning big cat contact can eliminate 94% of incidents according to the Big Cat Rescue. We need more than just a ban on trade; we need a ban of private ownership.
If you want to help improve the lives of big cats here in the US, the US needs better laws, not only for their safety but also for ours. Humans are the only ones who can improve their living conditions. So if you agree with me, I hope you do something about it. If nothing else, just spreading the knowledge of this injustice is helpful.
Resources:
Big Cat Rescue,
www.bigcatrescue.org
WWF,
www.worldwildlife.org/
Born Free USA,
www.bornfreeusa.org/
Save the Tigers Fund,
www.savethetigerfund.org/
4 comments:
I completely agree with the argument that you have made. Another point that would help drive home this argument is there is a show on Animal Planet that is called Fatal Attractions where it documents homeowners that keep exotic pets for themselves and how these pets can attack the homeowner. This show also drives home the fact that keeping these animals as pets is not a good idea. This not only pertains to large cats but exotic pets in general. They are real life stories on not just the suffering the animal goes through but what can go horribly wrong.
I believe most people do not know of the lack of laws and the need for them as they do not see this behavior, much of it is behind closed doors so to say. The first thing to do would be to educate and get the issue more in the light of the media I would say. Many people would agree with you if they were aware of the situation
Good point. I've actually seen the show. It's riduculous, but it's real and happening. There is also a movie (if you can get your hands on it) called "The Tiger Next Door" which is about places in and around Wisconsin that house big cats.
No one really is aware of this problem. So I try to get the word out whenever I can. The more people I tell, maybe they will tell more people.
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