Wild animals don’t make good pets, experts say

Wildlife Care of Ventura County says that wild animals have certain inborn behavior patterns that cannot be forgotten and pet owners cannot predict when wild and often destructive behavior will occur. Wild animals do not make good pets.

Babies and young animals are very cute and may seem tame, but can become aggressive and unpredictable as they age. Captivity isn’t natural and is a constant stress to wild animals.

Wild animals can carry diseases that are harmful to people, according to Wildlife Care of Ventura County. They also require very specific nutritional, behavioral, social and environmental needs.

It’s also against the law to keep wildlife more than 48 hours in the state of California. If you find a wild animal that needs help, please call (805) 498-2792 for Wildlife Care of Ventura County, a group of in-home, state licensed rehabilitators whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and release native wildlife