Now, I guess I should go and try to get people that have illegally-held wildlife to not call them pets.
Nah..I could care less what they call em. I can only say what those wild critters are NOT.
And Dang!...why does it seem like I'm discussing this with an animal rights person?
Peace out!
Mine were not pets. Here are a few examples. 2 fox squirrel babies were in a tree in a subdivision I was removing and I found them laying on the ground. Instead of letting the cats kill them I took them home and bottle fed them until they were big enough .Then they went in an outside enclosure where we out gathered nuts for a while and one day we left the door open and they could come and go eventually moving on completely.
Daughter took a chipmunk away from the cats when she was maybe 6 it was chewed up I did not think it would live but my daughter wanted to save it. So being a dad raped around his daughters finger we doctored it up put it in a hamster cage tell it was better and when spring came it was let loose.
Several coon babies have been picked up over the years when momma and siblings are splayed and they have been let go.
I have also picked up 2 owls and a red tail that had been hit by cars on the Road. went way out of my way and 2 went to rehabilitation places. But one I that had a broken wing and blood driving off its beak I could not get ahold of anyone on a long Holladay. I was also busy I set it's wing and put it in a box with water and meat in the dark basement and went on with the next very busy several days.. Honestly I forgot about it until my daughter heard it moving in the box and askes what it was. its eyes were open and bright but then I was worried about getting in trouble having had it 4 or 5 days. So it got moved to an enclosure in the garage and feed all it wanted.
a few months went by and I was cleaning the enclosure and he started flying. so I knew he was healed and I really put the food out for him to get him heavy. The weather broke and I left the door open for him. he hung around the house 5 years called in a mate and had chick's in a hole in a tree out back each season. my daughter was young and would take a turkey locator owl hooter out back and they would talk back and forth.
None were ever pets none would have lived had we not helped them out and never had any intention of keeping them. Now if I had permission from the state I would get looked at as a wildlife hero. But because I don't I'm an outlaw. Especially with the bird a over a decade ago. I get a large amount of people have no business messing with wild life with the Bambi mentality yet...