The Director of the Yodeeo Department of Anthropoidal Relations is urging residents of Yodeeo and nearby areas to keep predatory pets such as roden and basilisks indoors in an effort to prevent injury to local nymphs, fae, and other small folk.
“It’s always a recommendation by veterinarians to keep your pets indoors, especially basilisks, for their own health,” Ingrid Forrest, the Director of the Yodeeo DAR, notes in her public address. “Now we want to remind everyone to keep our smaller neighbors in mind, as well. Their lives are put in danger every time little Sparky gets let outside.”
Though statistics are scarce, the Pujoutua Society for Ethical Chimeric Integration estimates 50-60% of accidental deaths of small anthropoids are due to predation by domestic animals, with nymphs being the primary victims. The PSECI acknowledges that because small anthropoid deaths are difficult to investigate and frequently go unreported, numbers are purely conjectural, and interviews with communities are the sole method of data collection.
“No one knows how many might be killed or injured every year,” comments local PSECI representative Garret Everglade, in response to Forrest’s PSA. “When your aunt goes out for a morning stroll and doesn’t come home, you never find out what got her. It could have been someone’s basilisk, or it could have been a hawk or zatel. You just don’t know, but it helps to eliminate one of those threats if we can. It’s not hard to keep pets inside.”
Everglade is a Foxyr and a strong proponent for integration, but also points out that the smallest nymphs and fairies find city life near humans and large anthropoids unbearably stressful and prefer to live in isolated communities.
“It seems more dangerous to live out in the woods and fields, certainly,” says Everglade, “but for some there are no other options. Most Theyr I’ve spoken to are more terrified of humans than of wild animals, and fairies depend heavily on a robust ecosystem untouched by human activity to sustain their dietary needs.
“So, it’s very important that residents both in the city and those out in rural areas keep their animals safe indoors, where they won’t be a danger to anyone. Even if you’ve never seen a nymph or a fae on your property, that doesn’t mean they aren’t nearby.”
Small folk welfare groups have long fought for stronger legislation that would make allowing pet basilisks unrestrained outdoors a crime, but local laws remain lax. Forrest has voiced support for bills restricting outdoor basilisks in the past.
“We’ve tried those routes before,” Forrest said in a press interview about her PSA, “but the reality is we don’t have time to wait for legislation to move through. People are letting their basilisks out right now and they need to stop. All we can say at this point is please, please think before you let your pet outside, and please report any pets you see that are outside unrestrained to local animal control. You could save a life.”
The issue of outdoor basilisks is a divisive one in Yodeeo communities, many of which are rural and occupied by landowners who have been in the area for generations. Jiared Clarkson is a longtime resident of Mountainvale county and a chairman for the local Traditionalist Club chapter. He claims to speak for the silent majority of Yodeeo residents when he says Forrest’s PSA seems “thoughtful but absurd.”
“People have barn basilisks, they have pets that are used to being outside, they have basilisks for mouse problems and guard roden for their livestock and all that,” Clarkson says. “Expecting animals to always be kept inside is ridiculous.”
Pujoutua law states unintegrated anthropoid colonies are only protected on federal or public land, and land owned by themselves. Colonies on private land can be removed by the landowners and aren’t legally protected from reasonable land usage, which can include encounters with domestic animals. For these reasons, Clarkson argues, landowners are under no obligation to keep their animals indoors.
“It’s not a landowner’s fault if these tinies are coming onto private property and putting themselves in danger. They need to stay away from residences if they want to avoid roden and basilisks and all that.”
Many local homeowners agree. Saren Kuthatch is a prominent community member and owns four purebred green-sided basilisks, which she lets outside every morning.
“It’s cruel to keep them cooped up in the house,” Kutchatch says. “They need that stimulation of being outdoors or they just go crazy. They’re up on all their shots and papers, and they stay in my yard most of the time, so I don’t see why that should be a problem. If the grass nymphs are worried they can just stay out of my yard.”
This is a common argument taken up by owners of outdoor basilisks, even in the suburbs, but studies by the National Dracology Association have shown outdoor basilisks travel much farther than their owners’ imagine, sometimes wandering miles off their property. Forrest points out this habit of exploring could easily put a pet basilisk in an area lawfully occupied by small anthropoids. Additionally, Mountainvale Animal Rescue mentions in their pamphlets that intact outdoor basilisks, even pets that spend the night indoors, can contribute to feral populations, which are arguably even more dangerous to small anthropoids because they are undocumented and uncontrolled.
“I know those big eyes are hard to resist, but letting your pet outside puts small folk’s lives at risk, there’s no doubt about it,” Forrest says. “It’s not something to be complacent about.”
When asked what prompted her to release the PSA at this time, Forrest mentioned an increase in basilisk encounters reported by suburban nymphs.
“I’ve had individuals and representatives come to me with reports of being chased or attacked just outside their own homes,” says Forrest. “That’s just unacceptable. There’s no reason for that. These communities have integrated with the understanding they would be better protected. We have a responsibility to ensure their safety.”