Suffolk SPCA Hosts Illegal Animal Amnesty Day

The Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), in cooperation with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will be hosting an Amnesty Day for illegally possessed, protected, endangered and threatened animals that require special state DEC and Fish & Wildlife Permits. Included are dangerous animals, exotics, illegal reptiles, amphibians and mammals. As shown above, some of the dangerous, illegally possessed animals seized by Suffolk County SPCA.

"The purpose of this effort is to get these illegally possessed animals into a controlled environment where they can be cared for properly," Gross said. "People who are in possession of these animals unlawfully can turn them in to us without fear of prosecution. No one will be asked to give their name," said Chief Gross. Over the years many exotic, illegally possessed animals and reptiles have been turned in or confiscated by the Suffolk County SPCA. In 2016 a Suffolk County man was bitten by his illegally owned venomous snake.

"The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is pleased to work with the Suffolk County SPCA to administer its annual Amnesty Day," NYSDEC Acting Captain Tom Gadomski said. "Protected and dangerous species need specific care and individuals illegally keeping these animals as pets are at best, keeping native wildlife from breeding in natural habitats, and at worst, endangering themselves and others. Amnesty Day gives individuals the ability to anonymously surrender these animals before they become a danger."

Trained handlers will be available to accept the unlicensed, exotic/illegal mammals, reptiles, amphibians from the public. People are asked to bring the animals in containers which will be returned on a numbered basis.

Location: Holtsville Ecology Site249 Buckley Rd., Holtsville,

NYDate: Saturday, October 13, 2018 from 11 am until 3 pm.

Animals that will be accepted during the program:

All reptiles that are venomous

Large Constrictor Snake:

1. Burmese Python
2. Reticulated Python
3. African Rock Python
4. Green Anaconda
5. Yellow Anaconda
6. Australian Amethystine Python
7. Indian Python

Large Lizards / Monitors :
9. Asiatic (water) Monitor
10. Nile Monitor
11. White Throat Monitor
12. Black Throat Monitor
13. Crocodile Monitor
14. Komodo Dragon
15. All species and sub-species of Crocodilia (alligators, crocodiles & caimans)

Wild Animals:

1. Snow Leopard
2. Leopard
3. Clouded Leopard
4. Tiger
5. Asiatic Lion
6. Cheetah
7. Wolf
8. Tasmanian Forester Kangaroo
9. Polar Bear
10. Mountain Lion, Courgar
11. Jaguar
12. Ocelot
13. Margay
14. Primates

Non-target species
Species that do not require permits, and/or are not threatened or endangered will not be accepted.

Photos and Videos: Suffolk County SPCA