Why it is not a good idea to release an exotic pets into a local ecosystem.

Dear Owner of Question

The exotic pet epidemic in the United States is overwhelming. There have been hundreds of tragic and often fatal incidents between owners and their exotic pets. Whether these animals reside in homes or in backyard menageries, the dream of owning a wild animal and raising it is short lived for many. No matter how hard a person tries to replicate a wild animal's natural environment, they will always fall short. Owners realize fairly quickly that the animal they've purchased (usually through the illegal wildlife trade) isn't manageable. Sadly, this often leads people to abandon, release, euthanize or - in the best case scenario - surrender their exotic animals to sanctuaries.

For some, releasing their pets into the wild seems the most "viable" option. Although some owners who take this course may have good intentions, releasing exotic animals into the wild is cruel, not to mention illegal. Having been raised by humans, these animals have little to no survival skills and succumb to the harsh elements that are foreign to them. They often wind up dying from exhaustion and starvation while others get hit by vehicles or killed by predators.

Sincerely, Jacob Torreyson