I am all for exotic pets. While I'm personally no fan of snakes, I know many people who have them. Tarantulas too. But there are some animals that seem just too terrifying to act as a cuddly pet. For example, a wild coyote. But you can't tell the Hanestads that. The Eau Claire, Wisconsin family considers their coyote Wiley far superior than man's typical best friend. Never mind the fact that this is a wild, dangerous animal that he has playing, nuzzling, and sleeping with his children.
Rick Hanestad rescued Wiley after his mother was killed when he was just two or three weeks old and has been a beloved family member ever since.
He is especially close to Hanestad's 8-year-old daughter Hailey, who sleeps with him and even playfully howls at the moon with Wiley in the evenings. He's treated just like a dog — going for walks on a leash, playing fetch with a tennis ball. Just one problem: he's not a dog.
I do think this is a beautiful creature, but that doesn't mean it's an appropriate house pet. They are not meant to be domesticated. We have seen other instances in which a wild animal has snapped on their owners. Who could forget the horrific story of the chimpanzee who went berserk and ate off a Connecticut woman's face.
Then there was a baby girl that was mauled by her parents' pet raccoon. I am sure that these attacks make up a small percentage of the wild animals who have been domesticated, but it's still a frightening risk, especially when you have children.
What do you think of having a wild animal as a pet?
