Advertisement
The School Newspaper of Franklin High School

Pantherbook

Advertisement
The School Newspaper of Franklin High School

Pantherbook

The School Newspaper of Franklin High School

Pantherbook

Wild and Tamed?

Lions, tigers and bears . . .and a monkey. This is Ohio’s biggest problem regarding “exotic” animals running free for 200 years. It makes the average american and animal lover wonder whether wild animals should live freely in their own domain, or be able to be sold online in states that allow purchases of these majestic animals.

According to the Washington Post, after this fiasco, Governer John R. Kasich is under fire to let a petition go through that was started six months prior to this to ban the selling of exotic animals in Ohio. This was revamped when 18 Bengal tigers, 16 lions, 8 bears, 3 mountain lions, and 1 baboon were let loose before their owner, Terry Thompson, committed suicide. He was previously fined for animal cruelty and gun violations.

Should animals of this size, strength, and rarity be allowed to be sold via the internet or any type of illegal market? For example, the Washington post found two well visited sites, exoticanimalsforsale.net and Animals Finder Guide that sell anything from mules to tigers. It seems very sad that these animals should be forced to live in an unnatural enviroment, and depending on the owner, may experience abuse. Animals like these should either be in a zoo to perserve the species, or be released into the wild where they belong.

“I think it’s many peoples’ faluts,” says Corey Arena, a concerned sophmore. “Their regulation should be more strict. They should have at least tried tranquilizers.” Many other FHS students agree with the harsh way the animals in Ohio were apprehended this week, since they shot them on sight. But what does the public think of the fact that there is a market for these animals online? “No they should not be sold online,” says Abhilasha Boruah, sophmore. “It’s wrong.”  What is on your mind Franklin High? Should exotic animals be pets or live their lives as predators? And what actions should we take if they were ever released purposefully or accidentally into suburbia?