What Happens If You Get Caught Smuggling An Animal Into The Usa

Is it a Law-breaking to Own an Exotic Pet?

Thinking of getting a pet? Are cats and dogs too normal for you?

While many of us honey kitties and puppies, some people want something a little bit more than exotic, such as a gorilla, Chinese alligator, ploughshare tortoise, or hyacinth macaw. With the illegal animal smuggling industry worth an estimated $20 billion, 2d only to the illicit drug business organisation, many people are getting their hands on exotic animals that they have no right to possess.

Is owning an exotic beast a crime?

Don't Even Remember About Information technology

You may think getting a pet infant tiger is cool, but it's non. Exotic animals were never meant to exist kept as pets, and thousands are killed to fuel the passing fancy of the exotic pet industry. There are federal and state laws that make it illegal to own certain exotic animals.

Federal Law

There is no federal law that prohibits keeping any and all exotic animals as pets. Still, there are specific statutes that do prohibit possession of certain animals.

Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Human activity prohibits the possession, selling, delivering, conveying, transporting, importing, exporting, or shipping of whatsoever endangered species of fish or wild fauna. The minimum penalization for keeping an endangered species as a pet is a $iii,500 fine for the first violation, and a $13,000 fine for the third violation.

Captive Wildlife Safety Act

The Captive Wild fauna Safety Act prohibits interstate commerce of alive big cats, such equally lions, tigers, leopards, snowfall leopards, clouded leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, and cougars. Since these animals don't naturally live in your backyard, y'all've likely participated in interstate commerce if yous're keeping one as a pet. Violation of this law is punishable by upward to v years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000.

State Laws

Almost states do accept their own laws prohibiting possession of certain animals:

Maryland

The Maryland Criminal code prohibits the possession of certain animals such as foxes, alligators, lemurs, monkeys, big cats. Possession of prohibited animals is a misdemeanor punishable by upwardly to a $one,000 fine for individuals and a $10,000 for organizations.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts bans owning exotic animals equally pets to "protect wild animals from unnecessary or undesirable interference and from improper treatment." Sure people tin get a license to ain, bread, and sell certain exotic animals for very express reasons. However, a licensed will not be issued for the purpose of keeping an exotic creature as pets.

The fascination with owning something rare and exotic is damaging not simply to the animals kept as pets, only also the wild population. If y'all ever get the urge to own a pet, just go to your local shelter and adopt a dog or a cat. Don't try to be cool.

Related Resources:

Inside The Exotic Brute Trade (PETA)
VA Man Found Dead Surrounded by 24 Venomous Pet Snakes (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
Pet Bobcat Ordered to Zoo After Latest Escape From Possessor'southward Home (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
five Animals You Can't Keep as Pets (With Some Exceptions) (FindLaw's Legal Grounds)

Source: https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/criminal-defense/is-it-a-crime-to-own-an-exotic-pet/

Posted by: browntheird.blogspot.com