Serval owner says regulation and permitting for exotic cats is needed, not a full-on ban

A serval owner and Bengal and Savannah cat breeder in B.C.'s Central Okanagan is raising concerns about the province's proposal to ban the breeding, sale and future ownership of all exotic and non-domestic cats, including servals, ocelots and European wildcats. 

In a news release on Tuesday, the province said the animals would be designated as "controlled alien species," a long list that includes, but is not limited to, animals like giraffes, hyenas, jaguars and polar bears. 

But Sonu De'cruze said it would be more appropriate to regulate breeders and owners and require permits rather than ban exotic cats altogether. 

De'cruze owns an eight-year-old serval named Uzi, who she described as "lovely," but who needs a lot of work. 

She's spent thousands of dollars on enclosures, both indoors and outside, so that Uzi can roam around. She changes up his environment regularly to combat boredom, and he has a giant cat wheel to walk on — like people walking on a treadmill, De'cruze said. 

She also doles out about $700 every month on food: a kibble mixture, raw meat and vitamins and supplements. 

"We've had to be very particular about his diet from when he was quite young, making sure that he was getting all of the proper nutrition," she said. 

De'cruze is committed to owning her serval, so much so that she doesn't take vacations, and when she and her husband have to leave for emergencies, there are a select few people they call to care for Uzi. 

It's a lot. 

And it's something De'cruze realizes isn't for everyone, and said it probably shouldn't be. 

But, she said, a ban on the cats altogether may be too hasty. 

She worries the ban will force breeders and owners "underground," and that these cats won't receive proper care because owners will be afraid to take them to the vet. 

"It's just gonna be worse for these cats, if people are being forced to kind of do everything in secret."

De'cruze also breeds Bengal and Savannah cats. While neither breed was specifically mentioned in the province's release, they're often lumped in with the ones that were.