Exotic Animal Auction Kicks Off in Cookeville

The Triple W Live Stock and Exotic animal auction kicks off Tuesday in Cookeville.

Whether someone is looking for chickens or a pet sloth, there will be animals to bid on this week until Saturday.

Triple W Livestock Auctioneer Scotty Wilson said this weeks auctions will run from 9:00 AM until possibly midnight.Wilson said The exotic animal auction only happens 4 times a year, and it draws.

“There will be 500 people at this auction from 30 different states, we draw from both sides of the Mississippi River all up east, Maine, New Hampshire, Delaware. We have zoos that send us animals from all over the country, petting zoos not particular zoos, zoos don’t sell animals at auction,” Wilson said.

Tuesday will kick off with antiques, artifacts and taxidermy. Wednesday will have cattle, sheep and goats. Thursday will feature zebras, camels, ostriches and more. Friday is when the exotic animals and pets come out, where monkeys, kangaroos, reptiles and more will be up for auction.

You do not need a license to buy any of these exotic pets, Wilson said. However, you do need a pet permit for native Tennessee animals.

“If you buy a raccoon, a red fox, a gray squirrel, a groundhog, something native to our state, then Tennessee Fish and Game do require you to get a $35 pet permit,” Wilson said.

Nationally, the animals that draw some of the most attention are actually Peacocks, Wilson said.

“Actually the President of the National Peacock Association, or he has been, he will bring us maybe 100 cages and he will have some colors that no one else has in the United States,” Wilson said.

For the first time ever, Wilson said American Gray Steppe Cattle will be up for auction. Wilson said there are only 41 in the continental United States, and 15 will be up for auction.

The Triple W Animal Auction will run this week from September 8th until September 12th.