Laws Concerning Exotic Pets

Bornfreeusa.org is a website that lists current laws for each state concerning the ownership of exotic pets. I've listed the full information for Indiana, word-for-word from the site. I think most would be surprised at what one can adopt as a pet as long as they have a license.

INDIANA

Category: L

Summary of Law: All persons who possess certain wild animals must obtain a permit for each animal they possess. A wild animal possession permit is required for Class I animals (eastern cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel, fox squirrel, southern flying squirrel) Class II animals (beaver, coyote, gray fox, red fox, mink, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, skunk, weasel) and Class III animals: wolves (purebred), bears, wild cats (excluding feral cats), venomous reptiles and crocodilians (at least 5 feet long)

L = Requires the "owner" of the exotic animal to obtain a license or permit or to register the animal with state or local authorities to privately possess the animal (excludes states only requiring import permits)

As for the other states:

• Alabama, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Carolina doesn't require an official license to own an animal, but may need some form of a permit or a veterinary certificate.
• Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming have a ban on the private ownership of any exotic animal.
• Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Texas require the exotic pet owner to require a license and/or register the animal with the state or local authorities.
• Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Virginia only allow certain exotic pets. Each state has their own specific species and types that are illegal.
• West Virginia and Wisconsin have no laws for exotic pets.

Even though laws are in place, many people are still smuggling these animals in to sell illegally. This piece of an article was also found on the bornfreeusa.org site:

"When Miami airport inspectors asked a man arriving from Havana, Cuba to raise his pants legs, they were surprised to find 44 birds strapped to his legs. The man had denied he was bringing any wildlife into the United States. He was released the next day on $50,000 bond after being charged with lying on a customs declaration form.

The illegal trade in wildlife is second only to that of drugs in the United States, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). A former FWS chief of law enforcement said, 'There is no stigma attached to being an animal smuggler. If you get caught illegally transporting animals on a first offense, it’s possible you won't even do jail time. You can’t say the same for running drugs.'"