Erik Sprague, also known as 'The Lizardman'. Photo / Getty Images
Erik Sprague, also known as 'The Lizardman'. Photo / Getty Images
Opinion
When animals become the object of obsession the possibilities for all kinds of crazy are endless. From just plain weird to outright dangerous, going beyond a healthy enthusiasm for pets and animals brings some interesting results. We've uncovered the top five most outrageous animal obsessions:
The "rat room"
My own animal collection is part of my work and when the need arose for a couple of friendly rats, I set off to collect my new pets via a TradeMe purchase. The door was answered by a very relaxed man who was having a little trouble talking and walking - which made perfect sense as dozens of empty Jim Beam bottles lined the walls. Upon entering the "rat room" I was greeted by hundreds of little rodents on top of their cages happily munching on two minute noodles.
While choosing my pair, the master of the rats pressed upon me just how tame they were. "They sleep in my bed," he explained. Admittedly they were the most relaxed rats I've ever owned.
Some individuals feel the need to dominate, perhaps to demonstrate their own superior powers to others. What better way to do this than with dangerous wild animals? Putting on a show that implies both affinity and control over large and powerful animals can be awesome to watch, however the methods employed to achieve this are sometimes questionable.
NZ's self proclaimed "Lionman" Craig Busch is the subject of much controversy, in particular his training methods. He has been filmed striking young cubs in the face, presumably in an attempt to gain domination and control over them at an early stage. De-clawing is another method he uses to minimise the damage their large and powerful paws can do. Various other forms of abuse have been claimed by those that have formerly worked with him.
Big cats are not naturally inclined to jump through flaming hoops and sit timidly waiting for instructions on a brightly lit stage. Fear is usually what forces these animals to obey. Sometimes they retaliate and who can blame them? In 2003 Roy Horn of the famous Las Vegas Siegfried and Roy big cat show was seriously attacked by a 270kg white tiger - probably after several years of waiting for just the right opportunity. Sadly the animal was destroyed after finally rebelling against its deprived and unnatural lifestyle.
Craig Busch aka Lionman. Photo / NZ Herald
Extreme Anthropomorphism
Animals are not humans, they are not children, and despite dressing them up and carrying them around in handbags they remain pets - though perhaps slightly embarrassed ones (though saying an animal is embarrassed is a classic case of anthropomorphism in itself).
The danger of excessive anthropomorphism with pets is that unrealistic expectations are created resulting in owner frustration and problems with training and care. A cat does not vomit on your bed as revenge for your night out - despite what you may think. Learning about behavior and what it means is an important part of responsible pet care.
Kevin and Tarquin the griffin/pug crosses are an example of what happens when owners treat their pets like children. Adopted by a middle aged couple in preference to having children late in life, Kevin and Tarquin's owners very sensibly attended dog obedience classes. This appears to be where all sensibility stopped as according to the trainer the doting owners would have conversations with their canine 'offspring' that would go something like this:
"Kevin! Leave Tarquin alone. We've spoken about this before and I'm not telling you again. Keviiiiin you are on your final warning young man. Leave Tarquin alone. Tarquin, you are making it worse! Tarquin come here right this minute. I'm counting to three!"
Once Kevin and Tarquin's owners stopped treating them like toddlers and instead trained them in a way the dogs actually understood, their fur-babies were much better behaved.
Animals are not humans, they are not our children. Photo / Thinkstock
The Man that turned himself into a lizard
If it walks like a lizard and... talks like a lizard then it is right? No, it's Erik Sprague, an American who used extreme body modification to achieve the appearance of a rather unfortunate looking reptile. A self-proclaimed freak show, Sprague performs all over the world showcasing his tattooed green scales, pointed teeth, subdermal lumps on his head and forked tongue. He denies he's looked in to having a tail attached because that would just be silly. He lives with his wife and a collection of pet ferrets.
Erik 'The Lizardman'; Sprague, of Austen, Texas. Photo / NZME.
The hoarders
Animal hoarders are people that collect an unreasonably large number of animals, usually cats or dogs and have lost the ability to care for them properly. They tend to be in denial of their situation and the unfortunate animals in their care are often neglected and in various states of ill health. For instance, the recent examples of a woman made to surrender 22 of her cats and another who had kept the bodies of 38 cats in her fridge and freezer.
Having a passion for animals is certainly not a bad thing. When the line is crossed into obsession it becomes an unhealthy lifestyle for the individual and the animals.
