Quote Originally Posted by mainbutter View Post
I'm not trying to argue with you, but elicit further explanation..

How about sugar gliders? Non-domesticated ungulates that are farmed in rural areas(everything from non-domesticated deer to musk ox)? ASFs?

Only the ungulates can I see an argument for them being domesticated to a certain degree.

I don't really consider any mammals except farm mammals, dogs, cats, and a handful of rodents(also farmed to a certain degree, such as rabbits and guinea pigs), to be domesticated. There are some non-domesticated mammals that I don't want to see any regulation over, except possibly in city settings(musk ox for example don't belong in a city, but I would have no problem with a complete lack of state laws about who is allowed to raise them in rural settings).
No need to worry, a good debate is always healthy, and you bring up an excellent point! I guess sometimes I don't think about species such as sugar gliders or oxen, or rather, I tend to think of them as domesticated, as they are bred in captivity, and compared to some of the critters we had come through, quite "tame". But if I was to make another generalized statement (shame on me!) that also would not work properly.

This is a hard thing to ponder. How to do you regulate the ownership of potentially dangerous and easily abused animals without stepping on the rights to keep them?

I don't like seeing primates in regular homes, or baby tigers, or declawed bobcats (GR!), or anything of the sort.

I want to be able to keep foxes and wild cats and wolves if I choose to again.

But how to differentiate between experienced keepers like myself, and someone who buys a bobcat off the internet because its "Way cool". And who's to say that person buying that bobcat won't turn into a great owner and do the right thing? And who's to say they'll break off his teeth, declaw him, and then dump him in our rescue when he's torn up their house beyond belief. (True story, about five times over)

I like the ideas of permits and regulations . . . but I don't like the idea of some stranger coming to my house and telling me whether my facilities are good enough.

Its hard to find a middle ground here, where we regulate these animals without stepping on rights.

I also apologize once again for my generalized statement. I think my brain was fluff yesterday!