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Our beloved pets are family members, but responsible pet ownership requires you to safeguard local habitats.
- Exotic Pets a Problem in the Everglades
- The Impact of Domesticated Pets on Local Habitats
- How to Protect Local Habitats From Your Pet
The unwanted release of the Burmese Python has wreaked havoc on the Everglades which has seen a decline in 99.3% of Racoons, a 98.9% decrease in possums and an 87.5% drop in bobcats. However Pythons are not all to blame, as there have been 140 invasive reptiles and amphibians that have been introduced since the pet trade in the 1980s.
How about our beloved furry friends? Unfortunately nearly 200 species are threatened by dogs globally and in the United States, domestic cats kill about 1.3 billion-4 billion birds and 6.3 billion-22.3 billion mammals annually.Â
So how can we be more mindful of the ecological impacts our pets can have? Heres a few recommendations
- Pick up the poop! Dispose appropriately and use sustainable bags
- Return unwanted reptiles and amphibians to a pet store instead of releasing them in the wild
- You can prevent your cat from preying on wildlife by keeping them indoors
- Avoid flushing dead or live fish down drains as they’ll end up in aquatic ecosystems they don’t belong
- Never remove wildlife from natural habitats to domesticate them
- Keep your dogs of restricted trails as not to disturb wildlife especially during breeding season

Not only can we safeguard our local habitats and be responsible pet owners but we can do so whilst enjoying the companionship of our animal friends.
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