Animals you should not keep as pets and why

Pets have become increasingly common across Bangladeshi households. With that, a fixation on owning a "foreign" or exotic pet has also taken over the population. People now pay hundreds, if not thousands, of taka to own an animal whose physical and emotional needs they cannot possibly meet.

As the trend of keeping exotic pets becomes normalised, pet owners have forgotten a simple truth — these animals were never meant for captivity, nor are they suited for Bangladesh's tropical climate.

But where do we draw the line? Once you start uncovering the pain and exploitation these poor animals endure, that line starts becoming painfully apparent.

Do not keep foreign cats or dogs

Cats and dogs are the most common pets in this country. Yet, an abundance of strays are still on the streets, starving and unwanted. This can be attributed to the fixation on high-end breeds, on which people spend a fortune. Not only does it do a disservice to the equally lovable local animals, but the foreign breeds, too, are not suited to live in the hot and humid climate of Bangladesh. They struggle silently, constantly sick or dehydrated, while their unwanted local counterparts go on begging for a home.

The exploitation is taken a step further with these animals being mercilessly bred through unethical practices. Breeders, with little to no knowledge regarding their needs, often force them to reproduce repeatedly until they pass away. This practice persists due to the lack of regulation by authorities and the ever-increasing demand from people.

If you take away anything from this article, let it be this: stop buying foreign breeds.

Do not keep birds

Socially accepted to be a regular pet, but is a life bound in a cage all that they deserve? One glance outside your window – birds gliding freely without bounds — should give you the answer.

Most of the birds you see being showcased in pet shops are stolen from their habitats; their wings are clipped so that they cannot fly away to freedom. This scenario is not just the norm in the torturous streets of Katabon but also the local pet shops, where these animals are kept in disastrous conditions — cramped in cages. They soon fall victim to stress and anxiety, and pluck out their own feathers as a coping mechanism. Through our selfish desires of "owning" them, they are robbed of their innate natural gift — the right to fly.

Do not keep pets labelled "exotic"

The list for what can be considered "exotic" is far from exhaustive. Naturally, it includes tigers, monkeys, and snakes, but it also includes the small tortoises that people keep cramped in a fish bowl or the common hill mynas illegally poached from the hills to be sold as domestic pets.

Let us also not forget the "cute" rabbits and hamsters that are sold on the streets in too-small cages. Bought for a measly BDT 500, they are soon discarded once people realise how much effort is needed to raise them properly.

Being able to afford an exotic animal does not mean that one should purchase it. A large number of them are illegally poached, causing them to slowly become extinct. They also carry dangerous diseases, such as salmonella in tortoises, risking the health of multiple lives, including children. These animals deserve the freedom to thrive in their natural habitat and should not be confined in the living rooms of humans.

The best way to enjoy the companionship of a pet while conserving wildlife is to adopt strays or rescue at-risk animals. Cats and dogs have evolved to live alongside humans; they are the perfect domestic companions and actually thrive with their human counterparts. If you are looking for a more unique pet, pigeons are also an excellent choice. The only species of bird that mankind domesticated on a huge scale, pigeons thrive in a well-made house, which allows them to be free and your loveable pet at the same time.

As humans, we have a moral responsibility to let these animals live in their ecosystem and not just as showpieces we call pets. Remember that every time you buy a wild or foreign animal, you snatch away a life they can thrive in, perpetuating the cycle of abuse that is inflicted upon them. Love for animals should not come at the cost of their own freedom or health. Instead of owning, taking a step back and simply admiring them goes a long way in protecting them from a world full of pain.

Tarannum Khondkar is a struggling student, a fur mom, and a contributor at the Daily Star.