trifler note: Another show about exotic animals as pets

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Another show about exotic animals as pets

I stumbled onto this add on youtube about a new show on National Geographic called Animal Intervention. Looks like another show that's against exotic animal ownership.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0vR-cjEQvg

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

Oh great...

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

Yeah, I've been seeing this pop up on Facebook. It's sad when our "educational" channels are broadcasting stupid shows like this.

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

I guess I'm curious if you are all against the idea of not being allowed to own certain animals? Or if the animals health and safety is your priority?

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

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I'm curious, although I agree that this show is extremely silly...
If this show turns out to be about showing up at households that are neglecting and endangering the animals health, Will you still be against it?
I guess I'm curious if you are all against the idea of not being allowed to own certain animals? Or if the animals health and safety is your priority?

Short answer: yes. I am still against it.

Long answer: Reason being that this is not representative of what "exotics" owners are. Just like with any group, there is a huge range, both in care and the kinds of animals being kept. People who own boas are lumped in with people who own tigers. I want a savannah cat, which is nothing like owning a cheetah. But these shows hurt all owners of all animals. When a story comes it about a savannah cat that got out of the house, the first comments are, "this is why people shouldn't own exotic animals! They belong in the wild!". But a savannah cat doesn't belong in the wild, in my opinion. It doesn't belong in a cage. It also doesn't belong outside, but accidents happen. I don't think it means they should be banned, but that's the impression these shows give people. I've never met a bad savannah owner. I am sure there are some, but these shows would have you believe ALL owners are bad. I personally don't think that just anyone should be able to go out and buy a chimpanzee. I don't think just anyone should be able to go out and buy an alligator. Ive met people who keep alligators and tigers who absolutely should be able to keep them. But I don't know where those boundaries should be set. What I do know is that these shows don't help solve any of those issues.

Basically that is my problem with these shows. They skew public opinion even more negatively than it would be on its own, and they don't solve anything. They are far more hurtful than helpful. I do think there are many exotics owners out there who have no right to own an animal. I think there are many animals that are suffering way more than they should. But I personally have seen hundreds of abused and neglected cats and dogs. I think that these people also have no right in owning an animal. But as long as shows like these are just catering to drama and not to education, nothing is going to get better.

I am not suggesting I have some magical formula to keep exotics in the hands of responsible owners and out of bad homes. I'm not saying "ban all tigers but let me keep my boa!". But I think this is something that needs to be approached carefully, and these shows just whip people up. That never leads to anything good.

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

Shann, Thank you for that honest answer! I see myself agreeing with 99.9% of what you say. However, I must ask...
How is this any different than "Cops", "Intervention", "Jersey Shore", and every other reality show that uses extreme cases for media purposes. I'm sure the cast of Jersey Shore doesn't represent a majority, and the criminals who evade arrest are not a majority either. Intervention shows the most extreme cases of addiction possible.... No one would watch "Cops" if they only handed out speeding tickets, No one would watch "Intervention" if it was about a alcoholic who abuses alcohol, but manages a normal life. No one would watch "Jersey Shore" if the cast were not the stupid mindless characters they portray....

How is this different from ANY other reality show that captures the most extreme of cases for the purpose of increased viewers?

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

Quote:

How is this different from ANY other reality show that captures the most extreme of cases for the purpose of increased viewers?

Short answer: it's not

lol!!
I truly think most of our television now is terrible. I miss all the old animal planet shows especially. But MTV, the history channel, animal planet, what do any of these channels have to do with what they were created for, lol? A bit of a tangent, but this video is great at describing how I feel (plus its short!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDHcbiOfKY&feature=plcp

I'm just especially against these animal shows because animals are so important to me, so I do feel that these shows are somewhat of a more personal attack. I really feel that this fight would be easier without these tv shows. When I talk to people about snakes, a lot of them say, "we'll I saw on animal planet..." And it really ticks me off. There used to be some pretty cool shows on animal planet. I reluctantly have to credit AP with most of my initial passion for animals. I wanted to be a herpetologist when I was five years old before I had ever held a snake. Nowadays when I decide to brave that channel I just see animal cops or fatal attractions or some ridiculous show like that. It really is a shame.

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

Well said! Thanks for taking the time to reply, it was very informative.
Yea, TV today is pretty much crap... Even the saturday morning cartoons aren't the same... They have lost all moral value and replaced it with digimon/pokemon/whatever monsters, violent fighting, and immoral ideas.

TV is not about educational shows... Even "educational channels" are no longer about "education". Reality shows are what is popular right now, So Animal Planet is simply using whats popular... Kinda sucks though, Because the last TRUE education channel, PBS, will lose funding if we have a change in political leadership.... And PBS, despite all its boring shows, has some REALLY cool shows.... Maybe "cool" was a bit far, but it has some interesting shows (and who could ever want to cancel Sesame Street? Lol)

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

It is all about preying on people's fears for profit and ratings. There is no long explanation needed. The repercussions matter not to the producers or studio, only the ad profit and the ratings.

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

Bottom Line - Profit and Ratings!!! That's what matters now and nothing else.

I can't believe the stupid shows now on AP, History and NatGeo. There is no real search for truth, no high standards to be adhered to, and these media have a lot to answer for, putting misinformation into peoples', especially childrens' heads, because of its dramatic value.Those new "Reality" animal shows are nothing but cheap Horror Movies - created to thrill and scare and make ignorant dummies of people. Shame on NatGeo, History and AP!!!!!

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

Quote:

.... I personally don't think that just anyone should be able to go out and buy a chimpanzee. I don't think just anyone should be able to go out and buy an alligator. Ive met people who keep alligators and tigers who absolutely should be able to keep them. But I don't know where those boundaries should be set....

I think the best overall solution is a permit system, where the necessary credentials (ie knowledge/skills), housing/caging and financial capability are required initially and that are monitored/spot-checked thereafter for the animal's welfare. Yes, permits cost money to fund such a program, but if a person is on such a tight budget, they should NOT be getting exotics anyway. This is the only way I can see that such "pets" are not banned outright and that greatly reduces the chance of these animals being greatly mismanaged & allowed to suffer, or escape.

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

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The hidden pitfall in this is that the people who would be making and enforcing the standards would be clueless as to the proper care / caging / etc. and enforcement would be sporadic because no budget for inspections would likely exist or would be the first thing cut in hard times. "Permits" can also be used to enforce a virtual ban. For example, a $250 a year permit for a Retic or a boa wouldn't be bad...individually. Now consider someone with a collection even as modest as mine (compared to some others). Look at how much that would add up to ($3750 / year).

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Re: Another show about exotic animals as pets

Also, if no proper "grandfather" clause was contained in the legislation, animals would suffer from being hidden away to avoid detection or released by people who couldn't afford the permits.