NY Environmental Conservation Law 11-0512 bans possession of wild animals as pets (big cats, bears, primates, venomous reptiles, wolves). Permits only for licensed exhibitors. Ferrets legal in Rensselaer County (unlike NYC).
NY ECL 11-0512 prohibits the possession, sale, barter, transfer, exchange, or import of any wild animal as a pet throughout Rensselaer County. Banned species include all non-human primates, bears (Ursidae), wolves (Canis lupus), big cats (Panthera and Puma), crocodilians, and all venomous reptiles. Permits are issued by the NY DEC only to AZA-accredited zoos, licensed exhibitors, wildlife rehabilitators, and research institutions. Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are legal in Rensselaer County because the statewide ferret ban does not extend outside the five NYC boroughs. Owners who possessed banned animals before the 2005 amendment may keep them for their lifetime under a grandfather permit but cannot acquire replacements.
ECL 71-0923: civil penalty up to $250 per animal plus seizure. Repeat violations: up to $1,000 per animal. Criminal sale prosecution possible under Environmental Conservation Law as a misdemeanor with up to $500 and/or 15 days jail.
Rensselaer County, NY
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See how Rensselaer County's exotic pets rules stack up against other locations.
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