New York state ‘owns’ all wildlife, including hybrids of cats who have a wild felid parent within five generations of their pedigree, and not registered TICA, AFC or CFA, and who are not ‘legally acquired and held in private ownership.’
NOTE: NYC laws prohibit ownership of all hybrid cats and dogs. See ‘NYC’ below.
Environmental Conservation:
ยง 11-0512. Possession, sale, barter, transfer, exchange and import of wild animals as pets prohibited.
1. It shall be prohibited for any person to:
a. knowingly possess, harbor, sell, barter, transfer, exchange or import any wild animal for use as a pet in New York state
Environmental Conservation Law 11-0103
http://law.onecle.com/new-york/environmental-conservation/ENV011-0103_11-0103.html
6. a. “Wildlife” means wild game and all other animal life existing in a wild state, except fish, shellfish and crustacea.
b. …
c. …
d. …
e. “Wild animal” shall not include “companion animal” as defined in section three hundred fifty of the agriculture and markets law. Wild animal includes, and is limited to, any or all of the following orders and families:
(1) ….
(2) Felidae and all hybrids thereof, with the exception of the species Felis catus (domesticated and feral cats, which shall mean domesticated cats that were formerly owned and that have been abandoned and that are no longer socialized, as well as offspring of such cats) and hybrids of Felis catus that are registered by the American Cat Fanciers Association or the International Cat Association provided that such cats be without any wild felid parentage for a minimum of five generations…
(3) Canidae (with the exception of domesticated dogs and captive bred fennec foxes (vulpes zerda)
New York City:
New York City is composed of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.
Rules of the City of New York –
Title 24
Department of Health
161.01 Wild animals prohibited.
(a) No person shall sell or give to another person, possess, harbor or keep wild animals identified in subsection (b) of this section or in regulations promulgated by the Commissioner pursuant to subsection (e) of this section other than in:
(1) A zoological park or aquarium operated by the Department of Parks, by the Wildlife Conservation Society, or by the Staten Island Zoological Society; or
(2) A laboratory operated pursuant to 504 of the Public Health Law; or
(3) A circus or native wildlife rehabilitator licensed by federal or state agencies; or
(4) A place which has received the approval of the Department to exhibit or use such animals, and which has protective devices which are adequate to prevent such animal from escaping or injuring the public. The Department may impose reasonable conditions and time limits on the granting of such approval.
(b) For the purposes of this Code, wild animals are deemed to be any animals which are naturally inclined to do harm and capable of inflicting harm upon human beings and are hereby prohibited pursuant to subsection (a). Such animals shall include:
(i) any animals specified by the Commissioner in regulations promulgated pursuant to this section;
(ii) any native or exotic wildlife whose possession or sale is prohibited because they are designated as protected or endangered pursuant to any federal, state or local law, regulation, or rule; and
(iii) any of the following animals:
(1) All dogs other than domesticated dogs (Canis familiaris), including, but not limited to, wolf, fox, coyote, hyaena, dingo, jackal, dhole, fennec, raccoon dog, zorro, bush dog, aardwolf, cape hunting dog and any hybrid offspring of a wild dog and domesticated dog.
(2) All cats other than domesticated cats ( Felis catus ), including, but not limited to, lion, tiger, leopard, ocelot, jaguar, puma, panther, mountain lion, cheetah, wild cat, cougar, bobcat, lynx, serval, caracal, jaguarundi, margay and any hybrid offspring of a wild cat and domesticated cat.
(3) …
(c) In addition to domesticated dogs and cats, an animal may be kept, possessed, harbored or sold in the City of New York provided that possession of the animal is not otherwise prohibited by law, including federal, state and local laws regulating domestic animals and livestock or protecting wildlife and endangered species. Such animals include, but are not limited to, gerbil, hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), guinea pig, domesticated rabbit and fowl or small birds such as parakeet, parrot, canary and finch.
(d) An animal whose possession is prohibited pursuant to this section may be seized by any authorized employee, officer or agent of the Department or of any other agency of the City of New York, and the Commissioner shall provide for such animal’s appropriate disposition.
(1) An order issued by the Commissioner pursuant to this section shall contain a notice that the owner of such animal may, within three business days of receipt of the order, request an opportunity to be heard with respect to whether the animal is a prohibited animal and its appropriate disposition. The Commissioner shall provide such an opportunity to be heard as soon as practicable, but no later than 15 days after receipt of such request.
(2) With the written consent of the Department, an owner of any animal whose possession is prohibited pursuant to this section, may remove such animal to another jurisdiction where its possession is not prohibited pursuant to any local or other law.
(e) …
6/16/13
Disclaimer: Please check all local, city, county, township, homeowners’ ordinances in your area first before acquiring any hybrid or exotic animals.