Keeping wild and exotic animals as pets threatens public health and safety as well as animal welfare. Wild animals can attack, they can spread disease, and the average pet owner cannot provide the care they need in captivity. Help us keep wild animals in the wild!
From anacondas to bears to chimpanzees, it’s simple as ABC: These are dangerous wild animals. It may come as a surprise that in some states they are legal as pets.
Even captive-bred wild animals have wild instincts, and smaller animals can attack, too. There’s also the risk of diseases such as Herpes B virus and Salmonella.
Often bought as cuddly babies, when exotic pets become too much to handle they may be kept in small cages or even let loose—putting other wildlife at risk.
Help stop the trade in dangerous wild animals as pets. And if you want a pet, please visit a local shelter to find a domesticated pet suited to be a lifelong member of your family.
Could Your Neighbor Have a Lion?
State laws regulating the ownership of dangerous exotic animals vary widely. Check our map to find out where your state stands.
Learn MoreNews & Events
-
May 14, 2013
USDA Revokes License of Mississippi Roadside Zoo
A roadside zoo in Mississippi has lost its exhibitor license after 43 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture revoked the license following an undercover investigation and legal complaints to state and federal officials by The Humane Society of the United States.
-
May 6, 2013
Big Cats in Cages: Wild Animals Rescued in Atchison, Kansas
Nearly one dozen dangerous wild animals were removed from an Atchison, Kan., property after authorities discovered that the animals had been abandoned in their enclosures without access to food or clean water.
-
April 19, 2013
Arkansas Legislative Session a Success for Animals
The Arkansas State Legislature passed a number of animal protection bills that were signed into law by Gov. Mike Beebe this legislative session, receiving praise from The Humane Society of the United States.
-
April 17, 2013
Humane Lobby Day Kicks Off in South Carolina
South Carolinians converged on the state capitol for Humane Lobby Day in Columbia on Wednesday to lobby for animal protection laws.
Our Victories
-
May 16, 2013
California State Assembly Passes Groundbreaking Legislation to Require the Use of Non-Lead Ammunition in Hunting
Important legislation requiring the use of non-lead ammunition for hunting today passed the California State Assembly by a wide margin.
-
May 14, 2013
USDA Revokes License of Mississippi Roadside Zoo
A roadside zoo in Mississippi has lost its exhibitor license after 43 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture revoked the license following an undercover investigation and legal complaints to state and federal officials by The Humane Society of the United States.
-
May 8, 2013
Court Upholds Calif. Law Preventing Cruel Trapping and Poisoning of Wildlife
A California court has upheld the constitutionality of Proposition 4, a 1998 state ballot measure banning use of cruel traps and poisons for the purpose of killing wildlife.
-
April 19, 2013
Arkansas Legislative Session a Success for Animals
The Arkansas State Legislature passed a number of animal protection bills that were signed into law by Gov. Mike Beebe this legislative session, receiving praise from The Humane Society of the United States.
