Michael Fraysse

Wildlife should not be kept as pets and only people who can demonstrate they have the knowledge and facilities to keep wild animals long-term in a safe, healthy, proper environment should be allowed to keep the rare wildlife who are permanently injured or too habituated to humans to survive without human intervention. The goal with injured and orphaned wildlife should always be to try to release them into the wild. I have seen firsthand the negative outcomes that occur when people who are not qualified to keep wild animals attempt to keep them long-term. This is because I am a veterinarian and I have worked at qualified facilities and have seen the non- dog and cat species that people bring in to re-home after they finally give up after attempting to care for them for many weeks, These animals are malnourished, debilitated, deformed, maladjusted, mentally damaged animals, some of which can be saved, and others who must be euthanized. That is why permitting is necessary. People have to demonstrate they have the knowledge base and the physical facilities to take care of such animals long-term. Most people do not meet these qualifications and they need to be weeded out so wild animals do not have to endure long-term suffering. The need to have a permit to keep a wild animal should remain in place.