New York City is home to more than a million pets, according to various estimates. The vast majority of these pets are either dogs or cats. While the exact population of pets in the Big Apple is up for debate, the New York City Economic Development or NYCEDC estimate of 1.1 million is widely referenced.

Besides canines and felines, some New Yorkers seem to have an affinity towards animals that are outrightly outlawed to be kept as pets. Apart from issuing licenses to dog owners, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene or DOHMH has a list of animals that are forbidden to be kept as pets.

For starters, most farm animals cannot be kept as pets. The list of outlawed animals includes wild animals like lions, kangaroos, ferrets, bees, and many others. The department's reasons for listing some of these animals may seem obvious while others may not.

The city's 311 complaints system, a service established for New Yorkers to file complaints about anything to city authorities, allows people to report illegal animals being kept as pets. Alternatively, people who own these animals can drop them off at Animal Care Centers locations across the city to avoid a violation.

An analysis of 311 complaints offers an insight into which of these animals are mostly reported to city officials. The 311 data since 2010 identifies animals such as roosters, snakes, ferrets, monkeys, and turtles among some of the oft-reported complaints.

Roosters

Why they are illegal:

There are several reasons why roosters are illegal. The obvious reason is the nuisance they create with their crowing. Rooster fighting is another reason why these animals are not permitted.

Cockfighting is a blood sport in which two roosters specifically bred for aggression are placedbeak to beak in a small ring and encouraged to fight to the death.

Snakes

Why they are illegal:

City authorities forbid the keeping of these venomous reptiles as pets. Large constrictor snakes are also illegal.

Cockfighting is a blood sport in which two roosters specifically bred for aggression are placed beak to beak in a small ring and encouraged to fight to the death.

Ferret

Why they are illegal:

New York City has long considered ferrets as wild animals and generally banned them.

In 1999, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani made it illegal for ferrets to be kept as pets due to fear of rabies. There were also concerns that the furry creatures could attack children.

Monkey

Why they are illegal:

Only licensed authorities like zoos or animal researchers can keep the primate, as they're considered illegal as pets.

These primates are typically regarded as unpredictable no matter how domesticated they appear. There have been reports of some turning on their owners, which may justify the city's stance.

Iguanas

Why they are illegal:

Iguanas, which belong to the reptile family, are venomous, although their venom may not typically be as deadly as other siblings.

The decision to ban these reptiles dates far back to the 90s when the Department of Health moved to ban hundreds of species of animals, including iguanas, from ownership.

Turtle under 4 inches long

Why they are illegal:

It's illegal to sell or distribute pet turtles with shells less than 4 inches long because they spread salmonella.

Forty years ago, the U.S. outlawed the sale of tiny turtles as pets because they harbor salmonella, a bacterium that causes a highly unpleasant and occasionally deadly illness in humans.