Penalties, confiscation of property and imprisonment: which animals can lead to such rigid sanctions

Animals that are forbidden to keep at home in Ukraine

There is a list of animals in Ukraine that cannot be kept at home. This list, defined by law, includes types that can harm the environment and those that require specific conditions of existence that cannot be provided in an apartment or home.

These include:

Primates (grandmothers, macaques, cappuccins, chimpanzees);
Alligators and crocodiles;
Large predators (cheetahs, bears, tigers, leopards, lions);
Poisonous spiders and snakes (tarantulas, scorpions, gourds, cobras);
Marine mammals (walruses, dolphins, seals);
Birds and species listed in the Red Book (owls, hawks, eagles).
Such animals have unusual needs and can show aggression, which makes their maintenance dangerous.

What sanctions threaten the violation?

According to the Law on Protection of Animals from Cruelty, individuals have no right to retain the above species. The use of wild animals for entertainment in restaurants, photo shoots, and circuses is also prohibited.

The following punishments are provided for violation of this law:

Fine up to 5100 UAH;
Removal of the animal;
Prohibition on further retention.
If the animal belongs to an endangered species, the consequences can be much harsher:

A fine of up to 17 thousand hryvnias;
Confiscation of property;
Community service or imprisonment up to 8 years.
What wild animals are allowed to be kept at home?

Not all animals are banned. However, keeping certain kinds of wildlife is possible only if specific rules are observed:

Non-poisonous snakes (for example, mamba skills) – may be contained in the presence of documents on origin;
Ferrets – allowed to hold veterinary certificates;
Raccoons can also be pets.
However, it should be remembered that raccoons are capable of aggressive actions.

Thus, if the animal is caught in the wild without proper documents, its maintenance is illegal.