From tarantulas and tropical fish to parrots and reptiles, wild animals have long been bred, sold, and kept as pets in New York and elsewhere around the world. Yet their presence in our homes and communities raises complex questions about wild animal welfare, and the adequacy of existing regulatory frameworks to protect animals, public health, and the environment. At this event, local experts from academia, advocacy, and state government will explore the risks, ethics, and policy challenges of wild pet ownership. In particular, panelists will discuss the legal frameworks that govern wild pet ownership and trade in New York, challenges in regulation and enforcement, and practical strategies for reform. Join us for an interdisciplinary discussion on the future of pet policy in New York and beyond.
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About the speakers
Liz Cabrera Holtz is the Senior Campaigns Manager at World Animal Protection. As an attorney with more than 15 years of experience in the animal protection movement, she oversees World Animal Protection’s campaign to end the exploitation of wild animals in the pet trade.
Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal represents the 67th Assembly District, which includes the Upper West Side and parts of Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan. She is a lifelong resident of the Upper West Side and serves as Chair of the Assembly Housing Committee. Since taking office in 2006, Assemblymember Rosenthal has passed more than 200 laws that have helped to improve the lives of all New York State residents. Rosenthal is a leading advocate for animal welfare, having passed the first-in-the-nation ban on cat declawing, ending the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores and prohibiting the sale of cosmetics tested on animals. She has also passed laws protecting survivors of domestic violence, preserving affordable housing, strengthening women’s rights, environmental protection, data privacy and more.
Becca Franks is Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at New York University, where she is the Director of WATR-lab and Co-Director of the Wild Animal Welfare Program. After earning a BA in Anthropology from New York University and a PhD in Psychology from Columbia University, she was a Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia. Her research and teaching lie at the intersection of animal welfare science and environmental conservation, with a focus on animal behavior, aquatic animals, human-animal relationships, and quantitative methods. She has published over 70 scholarly articles, chapters, and commentaries driven by the core question: How can science contribute to ongoing efforts to repair human relationships with other animals and the rest of nature?
When
Friday, November 14, 2025
4:00pm – 5:15pm ET
Vegan reception to follow
Where
NYU Silver Center for Arts & Science
Jurow Hall & Silverstein Lounge
31 Washington Place
This event is hosted by the NYU Wild Animal Welfare Program and World Animal Protection US and co-sponsored by the NYU Animal Studies Program.