6 Pets You Never Thought Were Illegal

1. Ferrets

It does not take long to run into a video of these furry babies on the internet, doing some whacky stuff, or just being hyperactive and adorable. However, despite being somehow domesticated in the last years and populating many pet shops, ferrets are actually illegal to keep as pets in California, Hawaii, and cities like Washington DC and New York.

What’s the reason for that? Ferrets can carry rabies and these places try to keep their distance, especially Hawaii that can boast about being the only state that is rabies-free. Not to mention, ferrets have a habit of trying to escape, and the climate of the two states mentioned before would be perfect for them to start a little colony, which could endanger the resident wildlife population.

2. Chinese hamsters

Much like their bigger friends the ferrets, these popular pets are illegal to own in California and Hawaii. Despite being a very easy first pet to own, the two states have made it illegal for them to be owned.

It is not because they are passable of carrying diseases, but rather because their natural climate is very similar to the ones in these states. A lost or abandoned hamster could easily adapt in the wilds of California and Hawaii and the agriculture societies are worried that they could damage the crops and plants, even wildlife, thus posing the threat of becoming pests.

3. Venomous reptiles

If you ever found yourself fascinated by cold-blooded pets, you will have to carefully double-check the laws in your state. Some of them are highly venomous and any type of such reptile, be it that it slithers or runs, is illegal in way more states than you might think.

Some may think that if you had the venom removed, but these states do not make any exemptions. You simply cannot have them as pets in Tennessee, Vermont, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, New Hampshire, Washington, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Washington, California, and Connecticut.

It might seem a bit overboard, but just think about what could happen if one of them escaped. These states made the saying ‘Better safe than sorry’ a law.