Exotic Pet May Be Illegal

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Think your neighbor's dog's barking is annoying? Try crowing at dawn.

What animals can you keep as pets?

The city council of Cape Elizabeth, Maine just voted to ban residents on lots smaller than an acre from keeping roosters as pets. The ordinance was passed in response to neighbors' complaints against a family that owned a loud rooster named Elvis.

Elvis has since been given away by the family, who called him delicious. I'm kidding. I'm sure he was just relocated to a farm upstate. But neighbors want to know: what does the law say about non-dog and cat variety pets?

Beyond the peer pressure of being labeled the weird boa constrictor owner or hipster bee keeper, there are actually laws that prevent people from owning exotic animals.

The laws differ from state to state, but states generally make it illegal to keep large carnivores as pets and other non-domesticated dangerous animals like bears, tigers, and primates. Hard to believe you need a law to discourage people.

There are also noise ordinances to prevent Elvis-type crooners.

Remember that just because you can buy an exotic animal doesn't mean you should: the ASPCA has stated that keeping exotic animals is bad for the animal, bad for us, and bad for the environment.

If you insist on keeping an exotic animal as a pet, first check your state regulations and then discuss who's going to take the angry phone calls at dawn from the neighbors.