No, you still can't have a pet ferret in New York City

Despite lobbying from Bill de Blasio, New Yorkers angling for a new furry friend should still stick to cats and dogs.

New York City's Board of Health ruled Tuesday to uphold the city's prohibition on keeping pet ferrets. The board members voted 3-2 to remove the ban, but the proposal would have needed six votes to succeed. Four board members abstained from the vote.

Ferrets are legal in the rest of New York, but the city classifies ferrets as wild animals, according to the 1999 ban. Some are concerned that ferrets will bite their owners or escape, but ferret enthusiasts have dismissed these claims, saying the animals were domesticated 2,000 years ago. The proposal would have also required pet ferrets be sterilized and vaccinated for rabies.

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