While many states and cities ban certain exotic pets, New York City must have some of the most stringent laws in the continental United States. In New York State, large carnivores, venomous reptiles, and giant constrictor snakes are unsurprisingly illegal, but those animals that remain legal in the state are prohibited in the city. NYC is known for its ferret ban, which was enforced by Rudy Giuliani in 1999. In fact, the former mayor once told a ferret legalization activist:
“There's something deranged about you… "You should go consult a psychologist or a psychiatrist, and have him help you with this excessive concern, how you are devoting your life to weasels."
In 2001, an attempt to repeal the ferret ban failed.
Councilman Noach Dear, an Orthodox Jew, was reminded by his rabbi that ferrets are not Kosher, so he voted against it. Giuliani’s staff argued that like lions, pythons, and other exotics, ferrets are “'naturally inclined to do harm.''
His staff argued:
''New York City is not a natural habitat...It’s a place where millions of people live in apartment buildings'' in which the small animals could ''travel through tiny holes in walls'' and get into neighboring apartments where they might cause ''harmful consequences for unsuspecting neighbors.''
Mayor Bill de Blasio tried to lift the ban, but the proposal was rejected again.
The ferret legalization issue highlights the problem with judging exotic pets as “dangerous” based on largely ignorant fear mongering and personal prejudice.
Leaving your feelings about whether or not some of the 'more exotic' animals should be pets, is it fair to call them dangerous? Are hedgehogs and ferrets "inclined to do harm" while domestic rats, cats, hamsters, and parrots are not?
Many NYC residents say that the exotic pet ban is not really enforced, and many animals are kept there illegally. Not only are there few, if any significant incidences involving these animals, but there are no issues in the rest of the country, including major cities, with the exception of possibly very rare isolated incidences (as there are with dogs and cats). ~Education is Key~ ----------- Welcome to MASpets! A channel dedicated to providing high quality information about exotic, alternative, and unique pets, as well as traditional ones. This channel supports the freedom of pet owners to care for the species of their choice as long as that animal has been shown to thrive in human care under the right conditions. We strongly believe that facts and education, not admonition, is the best policy for encouraging potential pet keepers to choose the best pet for their living situation. We believe there is no such thing as a ‘good pet’, and do not promote any particular species as pets, however we understand that the desire of some to own something different is essential to their expression and existence as an individual. Whether you are considering a pet, or are just interested in the subject, this channel invites you to become informed about the exciting world of animal diversity.
There are hundreds of species of exotic pets! Some examples include: fennec fox, porcupine, serval, wallaby, boa constrictor, rainbow crab, bush baby, zebra, squirrels, ostrich, kinkajou, macaws, springhare, lemur, leopard gecko, tarantula, capybara, sloth, owl, cockatoo, muntjac deer, lion, short-tailed opossum, raccoon, scorpion, green iguana, and more.
We post introductory videos to animals that can be kept as pets, care tips, address controversies, legal issues, and more. Please see the posted links for more information about this subject!
