Exotic petting zoos reflect ethically disrespectful culture

When I was a kid, I loved animals and would have been overjoyed at any chance to pet a lemur at a petting zoo. Now, still a passionate animal lover, I want very little to do with such establishments. Most people love the idea of petting cute animals, especially “exotic” ones such as lemurs, wallabies and snakes. This idea is why many Rice events use exotic petting zoos as an attendance draw despite the many ethical considerations with such activities. Petting zoos for entertainment do not reflect the values of the Rice community. They are ecologically irresponsible, ethically disrespectful and thus, wholly unreasonable.