Owners of exotic pets show off their unusual friends

Описание: (9 Nov 2020) LEAD IN:
Owners of exotic animals gather in Cairo to show off their unusual friends.

STORY-LINE:
Keeping reptiles as pets is still uncommon in Egypt, but some owners try to change that with a show of exotic animals.
Egypt's third annual exotic pet show called "Not just Cats and Dogs," has attracted this year more visitors than the last two editions.  
Owners of the creatures proudly displayed them wanting to convey a message.
"We want to tell people that pets are not only dogs and cats. There are a lot of other animals besides dogs and cats that can be raised," said Mostafa Galal, a parrots breeder.
Lizards, crocodiles, snakes, and turtles are but a few of the animals brought to the exhibition.  
"I encourage anyone who does not have animals and doesn't like cats and dogs and furry animals to go ahead and raise other kinds of animals such as reptiles, they are intelligent and have a sweet interaction with humans," said Rania Adel, reptiles fan.
Visitors could get close to the animals, carry them and take pictures with them.
The crowd also cheered for a turtle's race.
"Preserve your animal the way you protect yourself, try to take care of it as much as you can," said Ramez Islam, organizer of the show.
He called on people not to abandon their pets as if they were objects.
People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, recommends against the sale and ownership of wild animals as pets.
The American animal rights organization says on its website that this "often leads to pain and death for these animals, who can easily suffer from malnutrition, loneliness, and the overwhelming stress of confinement to an unnatural and uncomfortable environment."

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