What Animals Are Illegal To Own In America?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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  • General laws about exotic pets. Baby exotic pets look cute, but they are illegal in many states. …
  • Bats. You shouldn’t keep bats as exotic pets. …
  • Big cats. Lions make very dangerous exotic pets. …
  • Sugar gliders. …
  • Skunks. …
  • Alligators. …
  • Hedgehogs. …
  • Slow lorises.

Is owning exotic animals illegal in US?

Because of the danger inherent in animal ownership,

some states prohibit the possession of wild or exotic animals altogether

, while most simply restrict possession to certain species. … Statutes often exempt people and organizations who possess exotic animals for exhibition, scientific, or educational purposes.

What animals are legal in America?

These include

bears, large cats, wild canines, wild cat and wild dog hybrids

, kangaroos, wild cattle and deer, birds of prey, alligators, geckos and most lizards, hedgehogs, gerbils, hamsters, and ferrets. Pets that are allowed include guinea pigs, chinchillas, domesticated mouse and rat, parakeets, and doves.

Is it legal to own a pelican?

Legal Status

The MBTA makes

it illegal for anyone to take

, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to federal regulations.

Can you own a dingo in the US?

Although dingoes are rarely kept as companion pets, it is legal in the states of New South Wales and

Western Australia keep a pet dingo without a permit

.

Can I own a platypus?

Platypus are difficult and expensive animals to keep in captivity, even for major zoos and research institutions. … Sensibly,

platypus cannot be legally kept as pets in Australia

, nor are there currently any legal options for exporting them overseas.

What is the coolest pet in the world?

  • Chinchilla.
  • Cockatiel.
  • Iguana.
  • Insects and Spiders.
  • Sugar Glider Squirrel.
  • Hedgehog.
  • Ferret.
  • Wallaby.

What states can you own a wolf?

These are

Alaska, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Wyoming

. Zoos, educational institutions, circuses and other organizations are often exempt, but permits are not issued to private citizens.

Is it legal to own a panther?


Alabama, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Nevada have NO laws

, allowing citizens to own whatever they want and however, they want. Other states require simple permitting of the exotic animal, while 21 states completely ban dangerous exotic animal ownership (big cats, bears, wolves, primates, and some reptiles).

Can you own a sea lion?

Answer:

Sea lions are Federally illegal to own

.

What states are exotic pets legal?

  • 4 states have no laws on keeping dangerous wild animals as pets: Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
  • 6 states do not ban or regulate keeping big cats as pets: Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Delaware, and Oklahoma.

Is it legal to own a wombat?

Wombats are wild animals, not domesticated pets, and as such should be left in the wild where they belong. In most places in Australia,

wombats are protected and it’s illegal to keep them as pets

. Wombats need special care and a special diet. … There’s not much that will stop a wombat other than concrete or steel.

Can you own a hippo?

Hippos is a double animal, not a pet. … They need a lot of water to be cool Z Zoos can supply the hippos requirement and most private citizens can’t. In order to be a “pet” the animal

has to be domesticated

and it regularly breeds and takes the “wild” hippos out of their natural state.

What is the cheapest exotic pet?

  1. Green Iguana: $15–25. …
  2. Degu: $10–20. …
  3. Budgerigar: $10–35. …
  4. Hermit Crabs: $5–35. …
  5. Axolotl: $15–35.

Can you tame a dingo?

If one wishes to hold a belief that a dingo is a domestic dog, then the breed is by far the oldest and purest breed in the world, but it is a naturally evolved one and not man-made.

Pure dingoes can never become “domesticated” while they remain pure

. They are genetically locked into their primitiveness.

What states can you own a tiger?

Owning a pet tiger is considered legal or is unregulated in eight states, all of which have rather lax regulatory laws concerning animal rights in general:

North Carolina, Alabama, Delaware, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin

.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.