N.Y. law would limit owning wild animals

ALBANY, N.Y. -- A tiger pawed through a Harlem apartment, a serval cat snarled in Troy, and an ocelot scared a lot of Long Islanders. Even the state Legislature saw something wrong with that picture. On Tuesday, lawmakers passed a law restricting the sale, possession and transport of many dangerous, exotic animals. The four-year law, proposed to begin Jan. 1, would limit pet ownership of wild animals including monkeys, big cats, large reptiles, bears, wolves, coyotes, and venomous snakes. Violators would face a $500 civil fine for a first offense and $1,000 for subsequent cases. Under the law, current critter owners will be grandfathered as long as they file as required by a previous law with the county clerk.

Supporters say the statewide measure is needed because of reports of mauling by tigers, asphyxiating by snakes and biting by monkeys. The exotic animals can also carry diseases, including the Ebola virus and Salmonella, according to the bill.

"The New York state Legislature has taken a leadership role in protecting the public from dangerous wildlife," said John Calvelli of the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the Bronx Zoo. The group says 10,000 tigers live as pets in the United States, compared to 7,000 in jungles, grasslands and forests in Asia.

"It's obviously a public safety hazard and it's unfair to the animals to attempt to house them in an unnatural environment," said Assemblyman Paul Tonko, a Montgomery County Democrat. "This has been a work in progress for a long time. It's not a knee-jerk reaction."

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2004/06/23/ny_law_would_limit_owning_wild_animals/

suggesting that exotic animals disguise themselves as regular ole' indeginous species in order to get around the law??? :D