New York treats the eastern coyote (Canis latrans) as a protected furbearer species, not a domestic animal you can pick up from a breeder or rescue. That distinction shapes everything about whether you can legally keep one in your backyard, garage, or rural property.
If you’re asking whether you can own a coyote in New York, the short answer is that it’s heavily restricted and, for nearly everyone, effectively off the table as a household pet. This guide walks through how the state classifies coyotes, what permits exist, what care standards apply, and what happens if you skip the paperwork.
Is It Legal to Own a Coyote in New York
Owning a coyote in New York is not something you can do on a whim. Under the state’s Environmental Conservation Law, no live wolf, coyote, coydog, fox, skunk, venomous reptile, or raccoon may be possessed or transported except under a license or permit issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
That single rule eliminates casual ownership. Even if you find or rescue an orphaned coyote pup, you can’t simply raise it in your home the way you would a dog. New York also has a broader ban that closes the door even further: the coyote falls under the state’s wild-animal-as-pet restrictions, which are separate from the licensing rules for exhibitors and researchers…