Reptile & Amphibian Forums

http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/billfile/HB0704.htm

In Maryland, unless you register your animal currently in your possession with animal control by August 1st, it will be illegal to have a non-human primate, wolf, caiman, or big cat in Maryland. No breeding, selling, or bringing into the state unless you are a USDA licensed facility or 501(c)(3), or, for the primates, a person with disabilities that has a trained "helper" monkey from a 501(c)(3).

This bill was actually better for the hybrid cat keepers (as hybrid cats were illegal before, but now they are legal if under 30 lbs) and hybrid dog keepers.

Fox, bear, alligators, crocodiles, and venomous snakes were already illegal in MD, so this bill did not affect that. HOWEVER, this bill sounds good to legislators, so expect the HSUS to try to move it to other states, even though it basically equates to illegal seizure without a warrant. Not all animal control facilities are open 24/7, so if the police think your registered caiman or monkey is illegal and can't contact AC to verify your registration, they can immediately seize the animal.

Katrina

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>>Fox, bear, alligators, crocodiles, and venomous snakes were already illegal in MD, so this bill did not affect that. HOWEVER, this bill sounds good to legislators, so expect the HSUS to try to move it to other states, even though it basically equates to illegal seizure without a warrant. Not all animal control facilities are open 24/7, so if the police think your registered caiman or monkey is illegal and can't contact AC to verify your registration, they can immediately seize the animal.
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>>Katrina

Venomous snakes in a technical sense were not all illegal. The state reptile laws allow people to keep copperheads without a permit. More than four snakes then you needed to apply for a permit. What was not-permitted is that another law (outside of the typical reptile laws) governing dangerous animals in general stated that you couldn't import venomous snakes from outside of the state which had the effect of limiting people to only being able to keep copperheads they found in the wild within the state. timber rattlers are protected and off limits so that left you with only the one choice.
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PHWyvern