Pet Possibilities – Discovering the Range of Animals You Can Legally Own in North Dakota
So you recently got a new puppy or kitten! They're a great addition to any family! Have you sat down and thought about what might be more fun than those choices? If you have the land, a pony would be great! There might be some other choices that may be fun, but are they even legal? Let's dive in and see how far we can push this according to The Pet Zealot.
Many exotic animals that fall under Categories 1, 2, and 3 may be kept as pets in North Dakota.
Among the creatures classified as "Category 1" are guinea pigs, pigeons, ducks, geese, turkeys, ratites, rabbits, chinchillas, ranch foxes, ranch minks, pheasants of all kinds, quails, hedgehogs, degus, chukars, gerbils, tropical freshwater and saltwater fish, and nonvenomous reptiles. In the state of North Dakota, any of these animals may be kept as pets without a permit.
Category 2 animals are considered to be hazardous to human health or the environment, necessitating a permit. Animals classified as "Category 2" include pronghorns, deer, zebras, small and medium wild cats, fishers, shorebirds, otters, bats, martens, waterfowls, upland game birds, minks, muskrats, weasels, opossums, ground squirrels, and sheep. In North Dakota, it takes a permit to keep "Category 2 animals" as pets.
In North Dakota, category 3 animals are deemed "inherently dangerous" and necessitate a permit for residential ownership. The creatures in "Category 3" are primates, non-domestic sheep and goats, bears, wolves, tigers, cheetahs, jaguars, leopards, wild pigs and hogs, mountain lions, lions, tigers, wolves, and nonvenomous injurious reptiles. Residents of North Dakota who want to own "Category 3" animals as pets, like cheetahs, mountain lions, and lions, must apply for a permit and fulfill housing and care criteria. In North Dakota, it is legally mandated that wolves, wolf hybrids, and mountain lions maintained as pets get an identifying number tattooed inside their ears, which must be obtained from the Board of Animal Health.
It is illegal to keep raccoons and skunks as pets in North Dakota.
After digesting all of this, I think it's safe to say stick with dogs and cats!
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Gallery Credit: Dom DiFurio & Jacob Osborn
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