From racing atop ostriches and wrestling wild bears, to raising pet skunks at home and ordering monkeys through the mail, we once welcomed the wild into our lives in some truly staggering ways. These are the unforgettable attractions, unusual pets, and head-scratching animal encounters that blurred the line between affection and recklessness. It's a rowdy, unpredictable trip back to the critter-filled close calls that prove our hazardous history was anything but tame.
