Why are hedgehogs illegal in PA?

Answer 1

According to the e-mail I sent to the PGC (Pennsylvania Gamers Commission), this is what they wrote. After I show you what they wrote, I wrote this first: Hi! My name is Alyssa and I was wondering if you could own African Pygmy Hedgehogs as pets.

This is what they wrote back:

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is legislatively mandated the duty to protect, propagate, manage and preserve the game and wildlife of this Commonwealth and to enforce, by proper actions and proceedings, the laws of this Commonwealth relating thereto. In order to administrate and enforce Title 34 (The Game and Wildlife Code), the Commission through proper action shall prohibit the possession, importation, exportation or release of any species of birds or animals which may be considered dangerous or injurious to the general public or to the wildlife of this Commonwealth.

Hedgehogs are considered dangerous and injurious to Pennsylvania's native wildlife. Hedgehogs feed on the eggs or young of ground-nesting game, and can carry diseases like Leptospira pomona (affects young dairy calves) and ringworm which affects humans. Hedgehogs were released by people in New Zealand in 1885, and now are more numerous there than their native range in Britain. Since Pennsylvania shares the same climate changes as Britain and New Zealand, hedgehogs would be able to survive the winter and possibly start a wild population in Pennsylvania. For these reasons the Commission does not allow the importation or possession of hedgehogs.