Animal Houses The Boston Globe
A Boston terrier not enough for you? A Siamese cat too tame? If you want an out-of-the-ordinary pet in Massachusetts, you'll have to contend with some of the most restrictive animal ownership laws in the country. But it isn't always easy to understand why one pet is acceptable and another isn't. Here's a sampling of legal and prohibited pets in Massachusetts. Note that agriculture and zoning regulations may bar a particular animal from particular housing situations; a pet acceptable on a farm might not be in an urban apartment.
you can keep
One-humped camel

Green iguana (at right)

Vietnamese potbellied pig

Burmese python

Ferret (non-breeding kind)

(Globe Staff Photo / Jim Wilson)
you can't keep
Two-humped camel

Alligator (top right)

Wolf-dog hybrid

Prairie dog (right)

Monitor lizard

(AP Photo)
Prairie dog
(AP Photo)