We live in the United States of America. "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." U.S. Constitution: 14th Amendment. Under the US Constitution animals are considered PROPERTY. We therefore have the right to possess any animal so long as it does not encroach on the rights of others. If someone is not in agreement with this then they need to leave the US or keep it to themselves. That is the reason we live in the US. FREEDOM!!! Of course animals should be treated humanely, and those who abuse them punished accordingly to the fullest extent of the law. Most exotics in the US are bred in captivity, and ARE well cared for. It is these EXTREME animal rights groups that lead people to believe they are a threat simply because THEY feel we should not own one. I am tired of them spewing their rhetoric at everyone. If THEY don't want to eat meat, have pets, or use leather then THEY should not. BUT they need to stop trying to push their beliefs on everyone else and getting our government to remove OUR RIGHTS. They don't stop at pets people. Remember they don't want us to eat them, keep them as pets in loving homes...NOTHING. They rather them extinct than well-cared for.