I’ve been looking for a place to buy an otter, but every site I find seems to be a scam. I know otters are difficult to take care of, but I’m ready to handle the challenges. Where I live, it’s legal to keep an otter as a pet, and I’m willing to follow all the necessary guidelines. I tried asking AI but didn’t get any good answers. Does anyone here know where I can find and buy an otter? Any help would be really appreciated!
The tricky part is that it’s illegal to own otters as pets in most places, especially in the USA. Just to clarify, a rescue otter or one that can’t be released back into the wild is not the same as having a pet otter.
There’s no ethical way to ‘buy’ an otter as a pet. First off, if you do find a way to get one, people will judge you harshly for it because keeping an otter as a pet is not something that can be done ethically. It supports a shady, inhumane industry.
Second, otters are social animals, and you’d need at least 2 or 3 of them. You’d also need a huge outdoor swimming area. Otters are highly social and need to live with others. It’s cruel to have just one. They also stink!
Are you ready to deal with being called an unethical pet owner for the rest of your life? Do you have enough space and a big, deep pool for them to swim in every day?
If that all sounds like too much, maybe consider adopting a mink instead. It’s a more ethical option. Minks are also semi-aquatic, like otters, but they’re solitary, don’t stink as much, and don’t need a huge swimming area. You can adopt them from rescues that save them from fur farms.
Minks and otters are both difficult and potentially dangerous to take care of, so I’d advise against them unless you have the experience. But otters belong with rescues or sanctuaries, not private homes. If you’re looking for a more ethical pet, a mink is a better option.
You can’t have one. It’s illegal, and the fines are huge. They’d take it away from you. Plus, you wouldn’t be able to get a vet for it because the vet would report it.