Quote Originally Posted by pythonminion View Post
Chimps are not big cats. That same kind of generalization is done by animal rights groups and the ignorant public who will also throw your snakes into that category. As for Zanesville, that kind of situation was propaganda bait for animal rights groups as well. There are plenty of big cats among other things kept in captivity where they are not released and there are no incidents. While I'm of the position that animals such as large cats should definitely require a permit and qualifications to own, caring for them in captivity is not impossible or unobtainable and the option should still remain for the devoted individual as many have existed for years without a problem. The same goes for other lesser primates. Capuchin monkeys and lemurs are not chimpanzees and while they are no dogs or cat either, they are not as dangerous, complex or difficult to own in captivity as a great ape and many people do own and breed these unrelated primates without any sort of issue. Being as sophisticated as great apes and lesser apes are, they are definitely only for the appropriate institutions.
Otherwise, I'm somewhat surprised I'd be hearing such comments on an exotic pet forum.
I'm not really sure what you are trying to argue here. Alex clearly said that banning would not be the best solution to this problem. And I do not see where she stated that a chimpanzee is a big cat either. AlexisFitzy is clearly just giving an example of how exotic pets are abused.

Not only is there an issue of exotic pets causing harm to people, there is the huge issue of neglect and inadequate care. These are the cases that need more attention as the animals live in poor conditions, locked away from society in general. I know and know of A LOT of individuals that keep very exotic animals and the care is subpar. Putting an animal in a condition to survive is incredibly easy. I know of people that keeps a tiger in a cage that is 20x30 ft and gets fed well everyday. Iron bars and concrete floors, nothing else. No incidents of attacks or anything but does that mean the tiger should be kept in that condition?

Also it really isn't difficult to keep a chimpanzee in captivity. It's the problem of is it humane to do so? Are we able to provide all the enrichment? What is the minimal amount we can provide? These are the questions that needs to be answered. Like the tiger example above. The owner is devoted in a sense that they spend A LOT of money feeding the tiger, providing veterinary care and keeping the animal alive. A decent enclosure would be something like the SF Zoo or SD Zoo. Most people or private collectors do not keep animals in that "natural" kind of enclosure as it is incredibly expensive, difficult to maintain and so forth. I can easily say that most people that own exotic pets ARE NOT able to provide the optimal care. Is it a generalization? Yes but I believe it to be the truth.