From kangaroos bred in captivity to trained tigers, exotic pets come from all walks of wildlife…and ownership of wild animals is increasingly becoming a hot debate. Exotic pet owners defend their right to care for critters from venomous snakes to angry chimps. Animal rights advocates meanwhile, are doing what they can to stop the purchase of exotic pets and place current ones into safe, accredited sanctuaries. Both camps appear to share a love of wild animals. Lauren Slater joined us to talk about the exotic animal ownership debate. She wrote "Wild Pets: The Debate Over Owning Exotic Animals" for National Geographic. Listen to Virginia's interview with Lauren Slater here.
Check out this video of Dillie, a blind farm-bred deer who became just another member of the family.