In many U.S. states, it is illegal to keep a domestic otter. In fact, with a quick Google search, you`ll find that it`s 100% illegal, but it seems like there`s a twist depending on where you live. Asian small-clawed otters can be kept with permission. Apart from that, there are no breeders, otters are poached in the wild. They are wild animals that suffer a lot when kept in our homes. Even if you own a river, it`s not enough! They swim 17 km every day, live in large groups of 20 hopeful individuals in several families. Otters are not happy to be one or two with a children`s pool and bathtub! All the things you find cute on IG show their fate! Swimming in circles, singing, walking around like crazy, they show that they are suffering! As a veterinarian, you shouldn`t tell people what to do if they still want to keep a wild pet! They are very intelligent and need as much stimulation, just like an African parrot, but maybe 10 times more. It`s not up to us to publish them to get likes! It`s not up to us to put them in pretty hats! This enthusiasm of having exotic animals such as fennec and foxes (popular in Russia), beautiful exotic reptiles and much more is so wrong! Of the 4 Asian species, 3 are protected because they are endangered! They were hunted by humans to destroy rice crops, but now the parents are killed at first sight for the boys to earn money! Do not encourage this madness! They bite and they have glands to create a disgusting smell, people remove them, it`s cruel. Even with the best of intentions, we can`t give them enough, enough playing time, enough food.

I know a lady who owns an otter, she shows it on Insta with her other exotic animals who have saved and are even doing so much for her baby that she still sees signs of distress! Don`t get an otter just because it`s adorable, you probably won`t be able to take care of it. They are destructive and will hurt you or your children and they will become depressed! Please be better than this and get a pet that we have been raising for generations. Don`t ask a pet to brag that you have a pet because you have a heart! F. Exemption for snakefish. Anglers are legally allowed to catch snakefish of the family Channidae, provided they kill these fish immediately and inform the Ministry of these measures as soon as possible. In Oregon, it is illegal to own feral cats, bears other than black bears, dogs that are not native to Oregon, monkeys, alligators, crocodiles or caimans. You can get a special permit for an assistance monkey. Animals you can have without a license include alpacas, ferrets, bison, camels, chinchillas, emus, ostriches, llamas, lemurs, sugar gliders and giraffes.

There are only 13 surviving otter species in the world.[1] They are whiskers, which means they belong to the same family as weasels, mink and badgers, but are part of the subfamily Lutrinae. Thanks to hunting, destruction of habits, and many other human activities, almost all otter species are endangered or at least threatened. Fortunately, many governments and administrations have created emergency measures to try to protect these animals. In the United Kingdom, otters are fully protected under sections 9 and 11 of Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This list is not exhaustive and includes only those States where otters are relatively certain. However, laws can change and it is always possible that otters will be regulated under another unexpected law, so if you are serious about getting an otter as a pet, it is best to check with the authorities. Otters are rare as pets, so you shouldn`t even rely on second-hand information from other exotic pet owners. A good place to look for information on pet otter laws is under the terms „furry animals“.

Native otters are hunted for their fur and are often regulated in this category. For example, New York does not mention otters in its ordinance on exotic animals, but states that live otters cannot be possessed in its trapping section (no one can own live beavers, otters, mink, muskrats…). As can be inferred, permits are generally required in most states where they are technically legal. Wild skunks are hardly good pets. That`s why this animal is currently only legal in 15 U.S. states. Otters are mainly wild animals that are happiest in their natural habitat and are not meant to be kept in our homes. You may have seen YouTube videos of otters playing in people`s homes, but often these videos lack context. You may not know that otters probably only exist as an interim solution in a larger conservation effort.