Exotic animal amnesty day a huge success

  Capuchin Money Wikipedia

Just a few hours ago, the first ever Connecticut exotic animal amnesty day ended on a high note. Before the event opened at 10 am, people were waiting in line for the chance to hand over their exotic pets in a “don't ask, don't tell” scenario. The event was co-sponsored by the Beardsley Zoo and Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the event personally but had the opportunity to conduct a phone interview with Dennis Schain, Communications Director of the CT DEP.

According to Schain, the amnesty day was such a success that the DEP will be considering future events of its kind. At this time it is not known what other states have held such an amnesty day with the exception of Florida. In fact, the DEP has been in close communication with Florida about pulling off this event which is extremely important for the well being of the animals as well as public safety.

I asked about the type of animals handed over. A total of 137 animals were collected including a capuchin monkey, a half dozen alligators and cayman, and several varieties of tortoise, lizards, and snakes. I was informed that one such snake was a ten foot long albino burmese python. During our phone conversation, a resident showed up with another albino python that was also ten feet in length and weighed in at around seventy pounds. As for what the future holds for these creatures, they all are currently being evaluated by veterinarians. Once it is determined that the animals are healthy and fit, they will be relocated to such places as zoos, nature centers, and educational facilities. One such facility that has been working closely with zoo and state officials is Rainforest Reptiles located in Massachusetts. There are no plans to put down any of the animals turned over.

  Albino Burmese Python Wikipedia

Interestingly, these animals are technically not illegal to own. So the main issue as to why people were willing to turn in their pets was not legal. The primary issue learned from today's amnesty was care. No animal showed signs of abuse and many people clearly loved their pets. It was a hard decision to make for many owners. The fact remains that care is the key when it comes to exotic animals, and unfortunately these pets just became to much to care for. All to often, when people find that they are over their heads caring for an exotic animal, they release it into Connecticut's environment believing that the animal will be better off. Not only is this bad for the animal but it is harmful to Connecticut's ecosystem and potentially harmful to the public. It must have been a relief for these pet owners to know that their beloved pets were going to be well cared for by professionals.

Thanks to people like Dennis Schain, the amnesty day for exotic pets was a blessing for animals and pet owners alike. Hopefully more events will be planned as well as other states following suite.