No, Seriously, Don't Keep A Wolf As A Pet

HOLTSVILLE, NY – A wolf was turned into the Suffolk County SPCA last week and now authorities are reminding Long Islanders that not all animals make good pets.

The wolf is now living at the Town of Brookhaven's Holtsville Ecology Center, where the SPCA will hold a press conference Wednesday morning.

Owning exotic or illegal animals (such as wolves) can be dangerous, Suffolk SPCA Chief Roy Gross said.

A wolf's behavior can be unpredictable as wolves are genetically wild, Gross said, adding that attempting to keep wild animals often ends badly for both the animal and the human.

In September 2016, a West Babylon man was bitten by one of his venomous snakes. He was airlifted to Jacobi Medical Center.

Big cats, primates, small mammals, birds, and reptiles are available for sale from dealers across the United States . This means the public has easy access to inherently dangerous animals that are unsuitable as pets and illegal in New York State without a proper permit, Gross said.

Exotic animals do not make good companions and pose serious health risks if they become aggressive. They can also be carriers for diseases and parasites that can cause serious risk of illness.

Suffolk County has seen its fair share of exotics including alligators, leopards, cougars, bears, snakes and a variety of other animals. The CDC reports diseases including Herpes B, monkeypox and salmonellosis from owning certain exotics.

Seventy-five deaths have been attributed nationwide to owning some exotics. Between 5,000 and 7,000 tigers are kept as pets. More tigers are kept as pets than there are in the wild.

The Suffolk County SPCA and the Town of Brookhaven Highway Department, in cooperation with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation will be hosting an Amnesty Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Holtsville Ecology Center for illegally possessed, protected, endangered and threatened animals that require special state DEC and Fish & Wildlife permits.