Exotic pets are the ones which is rare and unique. The take home message was that unfortunately the veterinary profession is facilitating the continued suffering of pedigree dogs to some extent by providing services to allow continued breeding of dogs that are unfit for purpose to live a healthy, happy life.
Inbreeding in the wild state does indeed happen from time to time through chance for the most part, as nature has developed many strategies and biological behaviours designed to minimise the occurrence of closely related individuals breeding together.
Persistent inbreeding over time, particularly when deliberate, is extremely difficult to justify ethically when all the scientific research and evidence points to the fact that it leads to a decline in health and welfare of the animals concerned over time.
Because these animals may have been bought from the local pet store by relatively inexperienced keepers, the basics of breeder responsibility or even biology may be lacking by the time a year or two later the beginner keeper has developed confidence enough to attempt to breed from their pet.
As exotic pets tend to be far less well-studied than ‘usual’ pets, simply owning one and watching it grow provides a wonderful insight into a poorly understood world that comes full of completely unique behavior and individual variants that should make sure you stay on your toes.