Serval Laws by State

You cannot have the following animals in New York State: bigcatrescue.org/laws/lawscaptivewildanimalsafetyact.htm In 2007, a new state law (HB 1418 – signed on 22.07.07) prohibits the possession, breeding or importation of big cat species (lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, puma and hybrids thereof), with the exception of AZA zoos and facilities participating in an SSP, animal protection organizations, animal control, veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, wildlife sanctuaries, research institutes, circuses, people who temporarily transport them and display them for less than 21 days, fairs and game farms. Affected cats kept at the time of signing the law can be kept. No new animals can be purchased. Washington Dept. of F&W does not regulate small cat species that are not native. Lynx and lynx (which are considered native species) require that the reproduction, possession or commercial use of the bobcat or bobcat be limited to specimens legally acquired from outside the state. Must have a government-issued import permit number on the health certificate to bring native species into the state. It is legal to own a savannah cat. Bobcat hunting is legal. Check with your local, county, and state officials before deciding to buy a Savannah cat.

For more information and contact numbers, please visit: www.hybridlaw.com/ The importation of feral cats into this state is granted only for research by universities or government agencies, exhibits in city zoos or other facilities for medical or scientific purposes determined by the Department of Agriculture. No private property allowed. Non-domestic dogs and cats and hybrids such as wolf, crossbreed, dingo, Bengal, savannah, etc. are prohibited under the Plant Quarantine Act. The spotted cat Serval is a long-legged African wild cat that can be kept as an exotic animal, but requires plenty of space to play and a diet consisting of whole prey. To keep these cats healthy and happy, serval owners need to provide large outdoor enclosures in places that stay warm year-round. Owning a serval cat is illegal in many places. Licences, permits and inspections are required in others.

Check your local laws before looking for a breeder and veterinarian for exotic animals. If it is legal to own a serval where you live and are looking for a reliable source to accept or purchase a serval, contact the Feline Conservation Foundation for more information. Hybrids are not listed as illegal in the statutes, but they are illegal in the city of Denver and other cities in Colorado. Bobcat hunting appears to be legal in Colorado. Colorado`s laws regarding exotic animals are very confusing and difficult to understand. The serval cat is native to Africa, where tall grass and bushes camouflage this secret hunter and allow it to sneak on its prey. Servals resemble cheetahs but are smaller and have a shorter tail and larger ears than their cousins. In nature, servals are solitary and inhabit an original territory that stretches for about seven miles. It is legal to own a serval in 16 states in the United States.

You can own an unlicensed serval in North Carolina, Alabama, Nevada, and Wisconsin. You can license to own a serval in Texas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maine, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In all other states, the property of Serval is illegal. It is forbidden to possess all subspecies or hybrids of the following large exotic cats: tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, mountain lions or mountain lions. A person who legally owned one or more of these exotic cats on August 15, 2006 and who can prove that he or she is the rightful owner has the right to keep his or her exotic cats under certain conditions. The following facilities are exempt from this requirement: zoos accredited or certified by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association; research institutes within the meaning of the Animal Welfare Act; licensed circuses operating temporarily in the State; and Louisiana colleges or universities that own a large exotic cat of the species traditionally kept by that college or university as the school`s mascot. Any person transporting a registered animal across the state is exempt if, under certain conditions, the transit time does not exceed 24 hours. Savannah cats are legal, but it seems that owning other small cats like servals is not legal in Louisiana.

Bobbcats can be hunted. Class I animals (including Panthera cats) cannot be kept for personal use – they must be professional exhibitors. Class I approval requires 1 year and 1000 hours of experience, details of experience and location gained, and 2 references. Documented educational experience in zoology or other relevant biological sciences at the college, technical or higher level may replace up to six months or 500 hours of experience required. The Class I candidate must demonstrate an additional 500 hours or 6 months documented if they meet the Life Sciences qualifications. Class I issuers must provide a security deposit of $10,000.00 or purchase liability insurance of $2 million. Class I animal licences require that Class I animal facilities be built on a parcel of at least 5 hectares. Under a Class II and III licence, animals the size of a mountain lion can be kept as pets.

Class II approvals require 1,000 hours of experience or 100 hours of experience and successful completion of a test. Class II and III wild animals may only be owned in residential buildings if the apartment in which they are housed is equipped with its own entrance, exit and courtyard. Class II permits for mountain lions require that facilities for mountain lions be built on land of at least 2 hectares. Applicants for category III animals must be at least 16 years old and complete a questionnaire developed by the Commission to assess their knowledge of breeding, nutritional and general behavioural characteristics. All permits must comply with structural cage requirements. There are more than 1500 tigers in Florida, but fewer than 100 of them are in accredited facilities. If you`re a resident, enter your zip code in any field on this page to see what legislation is pending in your state, and make a difference now! Florida issues more than 4,000 exotic property permits each year and must employ 27 inspectors at a cost to taxpayers of $1.5 million a year so people can keep, breed and sell exotic animals. Permits cost between the 5th and 250th if you have more than ten pets. This does not generate enough revenue to cover administrative costs. What can a Florida county do to ban the possession of exotic animals when the FWCC claims that it has the highest authority and has no intention of banning this inhumane practice? Click here to see what the Attorney General has to say. Memo of the law. A serval is not a suitable pet due to its size, high activity level and tendency to jump.

It not only threatens fragile objects and wires, but can also be damaged by them. In addition, a serval cannot be fully trained in bedding. Urinating on objects is their way of marking territory, and that includes furniture and walls when confined to humans.