Predator Pets 2018

Would you consider having a dangerous animal as a pet, to some people a cat or dog is not enough, to them pet ownership matches the lives they may lead, a challenge, excitement, and the ever present danger. This leads to a relationship that could end in death. Welcome to the world of Predator Pets. Thousands of people around the world keep pets that most of us would consider extreme. In the UK alone it is estimated that there are thousands of dangerous pets and more than 100 local councils that allow people to own exotic pets. In the US, some states have no restrictions at all on pet ownership, in almost every major centre it doesn't take long to find a pet that just doesn't seem to belong. The list of options is long, alligators, bears, wolves, snakes, chimpanzees, deer, bison and many more. But to the pet owners, their relationship with their animals goes way beyond owning a dog or cat, to them, the danger factor is a positive rather than a problem. But have we crossed the line by keeping wild and undomesticated animals as pets, is it a case of the wilderbeest asking the crocodile if it likes to swim? The series investigates extreme pet ownership through interviews with owners, vets, zoo keepers, town officials, police and neighbours.—Ray Pedretti