Not a good pet. Skye Gould/Tech Insider Yes, tiger cubs are adorable. Monkeys too, and bear cubs — of course.

But they aren't domesticated animals, no matter how much we might wish they were. Cubs grow up to be full-grown, powerful adults; monkeys require a social environment and the kind of free roam that can't be replicated in a private home.

Legally, however, there's no federal law that regulates the ownership of exotic animals. Instead, states and local legislatures decide whether or not you or your neighbor can own creatures that — while beautiful — may be dangerous.

As Lisa Wathne, a captive wildlife expert at the Humane Society, explained to Tech Insider, that patchwork of laws is frequently complicated. The Humane Society is interested in national legislation that would prohibit owning big cats, bears, primates, and large dangerous snakes as pets.

Some states ban individuals from keeping these creatures as pets, but others just require a permit that is sometimes easy and sometimes hard to get. Others have no statewide restrictions.

Here's a current look at that patchwork of laws, which ultimately affects not only the well-being of intelligent animals but also the safety of their sometimes unwitting human neighbors:

There have been some changes in recent years. The most dramatic occurred soon after a 2011 incident in Ohio, when a man killed himself after releasing his personal menagerie. That disaster and the subsequent cleanup left a body count of 18 tigers, 17 lions, 8 bears, three cougars, two wolves, one baboon, and one macaque.

Ohio subsequently prohibited residents from owning most dangerous wildlife as pets with a few exceptions, though exhibitors can still acquire those animals.

But even in places where exotic animal ownership is legally banned, people sometimes purchase these creatures at auctions or from other individuals, according to Cathy Liss, the president of the Animal Welfare Institute.