NYC questions if anybody can help...

[Gusma07]

Hi!

I just got into a school in NYC and will be moving there at the end of July and I just ran into some information about the exotic animals laws in NYC. Being an avid tarantula keeper, I was surprised to find that it is illegal to do anything with tarantulas there. I guess I really never thought of T's as being dangerous and therefore never doubted that I could keep them when I did move. Is this law still in effect throughout the boroughs of NYC? Are there exceptions anywhere in NYC? Could I get a permit somehow? I would hate to give up my hobby for four years, but it's looking like I have to. One option I thought about was living in Jersey City and commuting everyday, which has the potential of making the commute horrid =(. Any advice of information would be much appreciated! Thank* you all in advance.

 

[jayefbe]

As far as I know there is no legal way for a common hobbyist to keep tarantulas in NYC. However, there are still many hobbyists that reside there. Just don't advertise the fact that you keep tarantulas.

 

[Gusma07]

As far as I know there is no legal way for a common hobbyist to keep tarantulas in NYC. However, there are still many hobbyists that reside there. Just don't advertise the fact that you keep tarantulas.

Hi, thank you so much for your prompt and sorry for my delayed response! Yeah, I am at a crossroads right now and definitely don't want to give up my hobby and yet at the same time would feel bad for violating the law, however stupid it is. I read somewhere that the law was passed all because someone decided to raise a lion in their apartment in nyc... grrr.

 

[Boatman]

I wouldn't sweat it. A lot of people still keep all kinds of animals as pets in NYC (I once saw a woman walking a raccoon on a leash in Manhattan). Turtles are illegal in NJ, but many people aren't aware of this and still keep them as pets. Besides, I think the NY authorities are preoccupied with bigger things, like the fact that their cops have been getting shot at lately.

 

[Papa80Proof]

I really wouldn't worry about it. I've been living in nyc my whole life and keeping T's for the last 14 years. It's not like they're knocking on doors doing T checks.