When Exotic Pets Turn on Owners

This article was originally published at lizanest.com.

From monkey mayhem in shopping malls to backyard lions turning deadly, exotic pet ownership can go from quirky to catastrophic in a heartbeat. While some people dream of owning a sugar-loving marmoset or a selfie-ready serval, these stories reveal the real—and often terrifying—consequences of keeping wild animals as companions. What follows is a countdown of jaw-dropping, bizarre, and sometimes tragic true stories involving exotic pets that ran amok, made headlines, and reminded the world why some creatures simply don’t belong in cages—or living rooms.