Posted: 03/29/2011

The Elephant in the Living Room

(2010)

by Shannon Huebscher

A fantastic new documentary, The Elephant in the Living Room chronicles the scary yet true story about the prevalence of exotic pet ownership in the United States. From chimpanzees to Puff Adder snakes to African lions, tens of thousands of people across the country own animals that are in no way, shape or form, domesticated. And yet, with most of these exotic animals being predatory (whether venemous or naturally predatory), there are surprisingly few states that actually ban the ownership in the first place - putting those that respond to calls about a sighting of a Bengal tiger wandering in a suburb to the law enforcement officers in a tough spot. On the one hand, these animals are clearly a threat to others, and yet most laws don’t specifically outlaw the ownership of these animals in the first place.

The film follows the story of a man named Terry Brumfield, who at one point owned five African lions at once. Although rough around the edges, it became very clear that even though his lions were not given the room and comfort they deserved, Brumfield absolutely and thoroughly loved his lions. They were like children to him. So again, when one of his lions got loose on a local freeway, and potentially posed a threat to commuters, law enforcement had no way of reprimanding him due to lack of laws.

We also learn about the market for exotic pets - from conventions to auctions across the country, exotic pets are bought and sold at alarming rates. And of course, no cameras were allowed inside of these events, so the footage shown in the film was done through hidden cameras - we see two week old baby cougar cubs being sold at an auction, and taped-down plastic crates of some of the world’s deadliest snakes being bought and sold to young children by their parents. It is not just alarming, it is incredibly sad.

Throughout the film, experts in the field of exotic pets are also interviewed and are given their time to express their opinions in favor of responsible exotic pet ownership. Their claims did not hold up whatsoever against the brutal attacks, maimings, and killings that have occurred all across the US. Instead their point of view came across incredibly chauvinistic - We have a right to own these animals because we’re at the top of the food chain; let me pound my own chest and mark my own territory while I’m at it kind of stuff.

The Elephant in the Living Room is not just educational, it’s important - the longer we allow our states to not have laws in place against exotic pet ownership, the worse things will get: both for the people who own them, and perhaps more importantly, for the animals who suffer from their lack of responsible and informed care.

Shannon Huebscher is a freelance writer living in Minneapolis.

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