The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Exotic Animals The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Exotic Animals
Showing posts with label Exotic Animals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exotic Animals. Show all posts

Friday, August 20, 2021

Remaining animals at 'Tiger King' park to be turned over to US Department of Justice


The animals remaining at the exotic animal park made famous by the Netflix docu-series "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness" will be given up, the U.S. Department of Justice ordered.

Tiger King Park, owned by Jeff and Lauren Lowe, was home to numerous exotic big cats and other animals. But since the release of the show, the couple has faced numerous legal issues with the park once owned by Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as Joe Exotic.

In January, the Justice Department ordered all of the big cats in the park be surrendered and be put in suitable care facilities, claiming the Lowe's violated the Endangered Species Act and the Animal Welfare Act.

To read more on this story, click here: Remaining animals at 'Tiger King' park to be turned over to US Department of Justice


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Thursday, October 19, 2017

Arlington, Virginia: Owners of Exotic Species as Companion Animals Are Allowed to Keep Them


Arlington, VA - Owners of snakes, panthers and crocodiles: If you already claim a wild and exotic species as a companion animal in this famously liberal suburb, you get to keep them.

If you’ve dawdled over choosing between a skunk or a bobcat, however, you’re out of luck.

The Arlington County Board Tuesday night banned the ownership of a whole variety of species — primates, raccoons, wolves or wolf hybrids, coyotes, squirrels, foxes, leopards, tigers, lions (even in Lyon Park), bears, wildcats, ratites (a diverse group of large, flightless birds), venomous snakes, and certain scorpions, centipedes and spiders.

Hedgehogs are permitted, as are nonvenomous snakes.

“What began as a seemingly straightforward effort to ban exotic pets in Arlington became much more complex and nuanced as the process evolved,” Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette said in a statement.

“Ultimately, through a lot of conversation with the community, we were able to adopt a Code amendment that reaches a practical balance of the input received from all sides and is enforceable.”

The county in February first proposed the ban, but it was delayed due to an outcry from pet owners and the state, which pointed out many of the creatures Arlington sought to ban or register were already prohibited.

The change allows Arlington officials to enforce the ban, and require registration of existing exotic pets through the Arlington Animal Welfare League.

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Sunday, January 31, 2016

Meet Dr. Evan Antin, the Handsome Veterinarian, Who is Melting Hearts All Over the Internet


The bond that humans and animals share is one of the most unique, most precious ties that exists.

And while most of us who have pets realize the importance of this, there are those who go a step further in life and make it their passion — and mission — to help as many animals as they can.

I’m talking, of course, about all the heroic veterinary doctors out there! In addition to saving lives, they see the intrinsic value in each and every pet, or even wild animal, that they meet — like this doctor, who performs miracles on pets who were once paralyzed.

And then there are others, like Dr. Evan Antin, who dedicate their lives to understanding the rarest, most endangered, and exotic species.

Dr. Evan has in fact been making rounds lately on the Internet for a very curious reason — but when you read his story, you won’t be surprised to see why.

Meet Evan Antin: California-based veterinary doctor, exotic animal veterinarian, and all-around animal expert.

He has recently been making rounds on the Internet, after being named People magazine’s “Sexiest Beast Charmer” last year.

Other than being devilishly handsome, the 31-year-old vet has an impressive résumé.

He previously spent several years traveling between six continents to treat animals, and received his doctorate from the Colorado State University in veterinary sciences, before settling down at Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital in Thousand Oaks, CA, to practice exotic medicine.

To his curious newfound fame, he tells WABC, “I thought it was pretty funny. I’ve always strived to be the sexiest something, and so I’m glad it could be [as] a vet.”

“I’ve gotten a little bit of teasing from my colleagues, a lot of attention locally, and a few more patients than normal since the magazine came out,” he told Source, a blog at Colorado State University.
  
Helping save animals means everything to Dr. Evan.

He loves snakes in particular, even though he used to stay away from them as a child.

“They’ve always fascinated me,” he told BuzzFeed. “And a big part of that is the fact that they’re basically living dinosaurs.”

To him, there’s nothing more sacred than the bond between animals and human beings, calling it “one of the most special things on the planet.”

Ever since he was young, he was always on the lookout for new, exciting, and exotic species.

According to his page on the veterinary hospital’s site, “he grew up spending the majority of his childhood in search of native wildlife including snakes, turtles, and insects.”
  
Dr. Evan currently lives with his dog, Henry, his cat, Willy, his savannah monitor lizard, Matilda, and several tropical fish, and he is happily engaged to his girlfriend.

In his spare time, he loves to lift weights, hike, and snowboard. He also does some modeling on the side. No surprise there!

But his truest passion in life is interacting with exotic animals in their natural habitats.

He has had extensive experience researching and interacting with animals in Central America, Australia, Africa, Southeast Asia, and North America.

His knowledge of varied ecosystems and fauna is what makes him a top expert in his field.

His day-to-day responsibilities include caring for both small, delicate animals and larger, more dangerous species.











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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Russian Customs Catch Woman Trying to Smuggle 108 Exotic Animals in Suitcase


Customs officials have seized what is being described as a 'zoo in a suitcase' from a woman accused of smuggling 108 exotic animals in Russia.

In the bag, carried in the hold of the aircraft, there were 55 snakes, 35 lizards, seven turtles, six lemurs, two monkeys and even a suspected leopard cub.

Two baby crocodiles died on the journey from Jakarta to Moscow and all the survivors appeared terrified when they were found after the 6,515-mile ordeal.

The menagerie came to light when customs officials at Domodedovo airport electronically scanned a 27kg bag belonging to an unnamed female passenger who had flown from Indonesia via Qatar.

Spokeswoman Larisa Ledovskikh said: 'The animals were packed in tiny cages and plastic boxes and each snake was in small bag made of cloth.'

Experts are trying to identify the 'amazingly beautiful "kitten" with bright green eyes and stripes' among the trafficked animals.

Officials in Moscow suspect it is a leopard cub, a species which is listed in the Red Book of endangered animals.

If true, the woman, held in detention pending a decision on any charges faces up to seven years in jail.

“It was a sad scene, exhausted monkeys, scared lemurs, the begging green eyes of a beautiful cat", said, Moskovsky Komsomolets.

The animal courier claimed she had bought the animals for $200 (£130) in a market in Indonesia.

She denied intending to sell the animals on the black market, claiming they were 'for future breeding'.

But trading in exotic animals is seen as lucrative business in Russia, where private zoos are seen as de rigueur for the wealthy.

After being impounded, the hungry and exhausted creatures were handed to employees of Moscow's 'Exotic Park' where they will be cared for until their future is decided.

A handler from the park held the animals for the customs pictures, which will be used as evidence in the case against the 'animal courier'.

“Experts will check the animals and calculate the price of each one. They will also establish if any of these animals are under protection of the international convention on rare species.” said an employee from the Exotic Park.









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Friday, April 17, 2015

Woman Tried to Enter Disney World Park With Her Pet Baby Bengal Tiger


Working at Disney World exposes you to everything imaginable. It’s not just castles, fairy tale characters, and insane rides you see on a daily basis, but all types of people as well. Sometimes people do strange things, but nothing prepared park employees for a woman trying to enter with her pet tiger.

On April 6th, 2015, an unidentified woman tried to enter the park with her pet tiger, and was promptly stopped by park employees. The tiger had been staying with the family in their hotel room, and walked to the park on a leash. While service animals are allowed in the park, the woman could not prove that it was an “emotional support animal,” according to employees.

After a long winded argument at the parks entrance, Central Florida Zoo was called to retrieve the baby Bengal tiger until the end of the woman’s vacation. However, for the “inconvenience,” Disney gave reservations at a restaurant on site, and gave them fast passes for the rest of their trip.

This situation highlights just how easy it is to acquire an exotic animal as a “pet,” and the cavalier attitude people have towards them. Far too many animals are adopted while they are “still cute,” only to be abandoned or killed when they become too difficult to take care of. Hopefully it will become impossible for these wild creatures to be bought and traded with impunity. Thankfully, we can all pitch in to help.

As with many news stories, things are constantly changing. As it turns out, the animals was a bengal CAT, which is a semi-domesticated exotic breed of cat. However, many parts of the United States outlaw or regulate bengal cats, considering them exotic, and in the same category as an actual tiger. While there is some comfort in knowing the details, it still stirs up the questions of morality and safety of trying to “own” exotic animals and treating them as house pets.


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Friday, October 24, 2014

Animals From Around the World Find a Sanctuary in Central Maine


MOUNT VERNON, MAINE — It's almost 2:30 p.m., and two large black bears are ready for an afternoon snack. As usual, Bob Miner has brought them some yummy peanut M&Ms.

The bears are glad to see him – so glad in fact, they're not fussy about how Mr. Miner likes to feed them: from his lips.


To read more on this story, click here: Animals From Around the World Find a Sanctuary in Central Maine









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Monday, May 7, 2012

5 Wild Animals Back on Ohio Farm - Safety Debated



In Columbus, Ohio five exotic animals are back on the eastern Ohio farm where they lived months ago before their owner abandoned them and released dozens of other wild animals into the rural community, then killed himself.

The widow of Terry Thompson picked up two leopards, two primates and a bear from the Columbus zoo on Friday and returned them to their former home in Zanesville where 50 animals - including black bears, mountain lions and Bengal tigers - were released Oct. 18.

Authorities killed 48 of the animals, fearing for the public's safety. Two others were presumed eaten by other animals. The surviving animals were found in cages and placed under quarantine at the zoo. Ohio's agriculture director lifted the quarantine order Monday, after test results showed all five animals were free of dangerously contagious or infectious diseases.

Thompson's suicide, the animals' release, and their killings led lawmakers to re-examine Ohio's restrictions on exotic pets, which are considered some of the nation's weakest.

Now that Marian Thompson has retrieved the animals, nothing in Ohio law allows state officials to check on their welfare or require improvements to conditions in which they are kept. The state's agriculture department says it will be up to local authorities to be alert to their caretaking.

"Ohio has done everything in its power to keep local officials informed throughout this process to ensure they had as much information as possible in advance of this threat returning to their backyard," said David Daniels, the state's agriculture director.

Ohio lawmakers are considering legislation that would ban new ownership of dangerous animals - but grandfather in owners such as Thompson. The bill is on track to pass the Legislature this month.

Should it become law, Thompson would have to register the animals with the state, obtain liability insurance and pay permit fees of at least $1,000 by 2014. She also would have to pass a background check, microchip the animals and meet strict new caretaking standards, including fencing requirements.

For now, Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said there is not much local authorities can do as long as the animals are being cared for properly. "At the first complaint we have, we'll follow up," he said.

Ron Welch, the county's assistant prosecuting attorney, said his office made several attempts to persuade Thompson's attorney to allow an inspector, the sheriff and a humane officer to see the cages at the property before the animals returned. They were denied.

"We were very disappointed with that because we felt that we just wanted at that point to provide some sense of security to our citizens and our community that this was in fact a safe place for these animals to be kept," Welch said.

Thompson arrived at a loading area at the zoo mid-morning Friday, driving a pickup truck pulling a silver horse trailer. The two leopards growled as they were loaded into crates in the trailer. A forklift loaded a steel cage carrying the bear. Thompson put her hand on the metal cage, as if to comfort the animal. In smaller carriers, the monkeys were placed inside the backseat of the truck cab.

Zoo staffers, including veterinarians and keepers, helped with the transfer. Two U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors were also on hand. Thompson ignored shouted questions from nearby news reporters.

Thompson previously tried to get the animals back from the zoo, but the quarantine prevented her from taking them.

Her home in Zanesville sits about a quarter-mile from a rural road, surrounded by fields and pastures where horses graze. A "Welcome Back!" balloon was tied to the mailbox, as her truck carrying the animals made its way down the property's long lane.

News media could see the bear being unloaded into a cage, of what appeared to be thick iron bars, in the yard. Some of her neighbors were concerned about the animals' return.

Sam Kopchak, 65, said if the animals were healthy, then his neighbor should get them back.

"I just wish she would take them somewhere else," said Kopchak, a retired teacher whose property shares a border with Thompson's.

Thompson's lawyer has told the state's agriculture department that his client has adequate cages for the surviving animals. Multiple messages left for Robert McClelland were not returned.

Tom Stalf, the Columbus zoo's chief operating officer, was at Thompson's the day of the Zanesville release. He said the primates taken in the zoo had been held in separate, small bird cages, and the brown bear was kept in a cage that wasn't fit for its size.

"There was feces on the floor, in the cages," Stalf said. "You could not get a fresh breath."

Cyndi Huntsman, a friend of Thompson's, has told The Associated Press that Thompson had cleaned the cages.

Of the animals that Terry Thompson released, three leopards, two Celebes macaques and a bear survived and were taken to the zoo. One spotted leopard had to be euthanized at the zoo in January. The macaques are small primates.

The zoo said it raised more than $44,000 in online donations to help cover the costs of at least $120,000 to care for the animals.



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