01 Oct Are Fennec Foxes Legal in Kentucky
Many states allow fennec foxes under the provision of conditional permits, which are often determined by local jurisdiction. Be sure to look for any required fees, conditions (such as house and enclosure dimensions or hygiene specifications) required to obtain a private property permit. In Nebraska, a captive wildlife permit must be obtained from the Department of Agriculture for legal possession of a fox, although jurisdiction is only established for red and gray foxes and not for fennec foxes. Check with your local ordinance for specific regulations required for this permit. Local ordinances may be stricter than state regulations, and some counties and cities prohibit other species or restrict wildlife ownership beyond the state level. It is the individual responsibility of a person to ensure compliance with all local regulations. Always make sure that a species you want to own is legal at all levels of government. In Illinois, it is legal to own foxes, as long as you obtain a certificate of legality from the USDA. Interestingly, Fennek foxes fall into the category of captive-bred animals, so a breeder remains in the context of a “farmer” if the individual can claim this status for his financial income taxes. Still, local ordinances are needed to decide whether a Fennec fox is allowed, and most local regulations in Illinois allow this animal without a license. IFAW announced on July 15, 2015 that Kentucky had passed an amendment that would make certain types of exotic animals illegal pets. The initiative is supported by IFAW and other animal welfare groups.
To make your search a little easier, let`s take a closer look at the states that allow Fennec foxes as well as other laws in those states. (Note that if the state is not listed here, it is either illegal to own a Fennec fox in that state, or there was not enough information to verify whether private property was actually legal.) So, which states are Fennek foxes legal? Check it out: In Maine, foxes (including Fennec foxes) are legal to get and possess as long as you get legal permission from the USDA. This approval is subject to the condition that the animal receives sufficient food, water, health (by an exotic veterinarian) and accommodation. In terms of cage requirements, the pen of a Fennec fox must be at least 8x4x6ft (per animal), have an 18″x3″ x4 shelf, and have a cave or nest box. This condition may or may not allow foxes. Technically, the North Carolina ordinance states that a “fox” requires a permit (which is not given to pet owners). However, the state veterinarian (currently in 2017) confirmed to a caller that these were native foxes (red, gray) and not exotic foxes such as fennek foxes. There are many Fennec fox owners in North Carolina who claim they have had no problems. Nevertheless, due to the wording of the regulation, the status of this law could be called into question if a new state veterinarian reinterpreted it. Therefore, be careful. In most cases, it is illegal to own or transport an exotic animal unless you have certain permits – usually for zoos or academic institutions – but there is a very specific list of unlicensed animals that do not need a permit to import, transport or possess.
In New York, Fennec foxes are allowed without permission. Fennek foxes are allowed in New York City after Fennek fox owners pressured lawmakers to allow them as exotic pets. Red foxes are not allowed as pets in New York City. In North Carolina, exotic foxes with a veterinary certificate are allowed without the need for a permit. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission requires a veterinary certificate when you import an imported fox. The fox itself needs the permit, it is not given to the owner. However, the laws on this subject are not clear. There are still many fox owners in North Carolina who haven`t had many problems. As in many states, the two species of foxes native to the United States, the red and gray foxes, require a permit to possess. It`s unclear whether or not this permit will be distributed to pet owners, so it may not be technically legal. Apart from that, however, Indiana is considered a relatively “exotic and pet-friendly” state.
Exotic foxes such as polar fox, fast fox, fast fox and bat-eared fox can be possessed without permission. While you`ll eventually need to verify the legality of possessing (owning, importing, and maintaining) a Fennec fox before attempting to include one, we`ve looked at which states allow Fennec foxes (with the most recent regulations we`ve been able to find starting in 2021). Species native to the United States often have different rules than exotic foxes. In Missouri, most fox species are allowed with permission for native species. Missouri is one of the legal states for pet foxes with certain requirements. The Missouri Department of Conservation requires a wildlife permit for native species considered Class 1 wildlife. These include gray and red foxes. The fox must come from inside the state and be cared for outside with a pen.
In Nebraska, some fox species are allowed with a permit for native species. Nebraska has more flexible regulations than one of the constitutional states for pet foxes, which require a permit for caught wildlife. Red and gray foxes are allowed and animals must be bred. Foxes raised on ranches are “domesticated” forms of red foxes. The most commonly available domesticated foxes are those from the fur trade. Domesticated Russian foxes are extremely rare in the United States (there are only a handful of individuals in North America) and cannot be imported from Russia (they are sterilized). Exotic foxes are not mentioned, so they are unlikely to be regulated by this department. This could mean that they are legal without permission.
This state requires a permit for wild animals caught for gray and red foxes. The cost of the permit is $33 and applies only to captive-bred animals. This probably means that exotic foxes are legal without permission. In Missouri, it is legal to own certain species of foxes, although fennek foxes are not specifically addressed in general wildlife classifications. On the contrary, they would fall under wild animals that are kept in captivity and require the approval of the USDA and local ordinances. In addition, this permit is granted for the provision of adequate housing, shelter, escape prevention, food, water and exotic veterinary care. Image of hyunjung kim by Pixabay Owning an ostrich is legal in Kentucky according to special definitions. © Ostriches are the largest and heaviest bird in the world and have the largest eyes of all land animals, which are twice the size of their brains. You can walk up to 40 miles per hour and a kick could be fatal. Ostriches also eat anything in sight, but have a very advanced immune system. A special definition in Kentucky law classifies “ratites” as members of a bird family that has no keel and cannot fly.
They must be bred for the production of feathers, meat, skins, animal by-products and breeding animals. They must be considered as agricultural products for the purposes of financial transactions. They should be treated like cattle and should not be hunted. However, their eggs make a whole omelet. In Delaware, non-native foxes (including the Fennec fox) can only be acquired with a USDA-approved legal permit.