The American Veterinary Medical Association's Statement on Wild Animals as Pets
Exotic animals and wildlife (skunks, chimpanzees, poisonous snakes, raccoons, etc.) do not make good pets. They can be dangerous. It is illegal to buy or keep them in most states. Owning a young, exotic animal can be a passing fancy. As the animal matures, it can become aggressive and probably will be unhappy in captivity. Owners who find that they can no longer keep an exotic pet usually encounter great difficulty in placing their animals in a new home.
Wild Animals as Pets
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recognizes that: a) Wild animals are often maintained in captivity as companion animals, for breeding purposes, for research activities, and for exhibition and b) Certain species of wild animals, when maintained under responsible ownership, may constitute no significant hazard to human health, other animals species, the environment, or to the animals themselves.
Certain species, or individual animals of most species, when maintained under irresponsible ownership may, in fact, be a hazard to human health, other animals, and/or the environment.
The AVMA strongly opposes the keeping of wild carnivore species of animals as pets and believes that all commercial traffic of these animals for such purpose should be prohibited.
The AVMA also strongly opposes keeping as pets those retiles and amphibians that are considered inherently dangerous to humans and believes that all commercial traffic of these animals for such purpose should be prohibited.
People acquire wild animals as pets because they like to possess unusual pets or regard them as status symbols.
Problems associated with wild animals include disease, diet, exercise, housing and traumatic injury.
Wild animals kept as pets are frequently subjected to various surgical procedures for the sole purpose of making the animal more sociably acceptable to its owner.
Disposing of a wild animal can be a traumatic experience for both the animal and its owner. Frequently, legitimate zoos will not accept them and they are "too domesticated" to return to the wild; therefore, euthanasia may be the only alternative.