#Roosters, other ‘illegal’ pets keep NYC 311 complaints high

Roosters are ruffling the feathers of New Yorkers more than ever. But monkeys are driving the Big Apple bananas too.

From Jan. 1 through Sept. 15, the city 311 hotline has logged 315 calls about “illegal animals” kept as pets. More than half of those have been for cock-a-doodle-doers.

Rooster complaints led the flock with 164, followed by gripes over farm animals (54). Complainers also squawked to 311 about ferrets, iguanas, snakes — and yes, three monkeys.

The primate problems arose in the Bronx and Queens. One 311 reporter went ape over an alleged monkey illegally housed at 1095 University Ave. on Jan. 30 at 8:51 a.m. A similar chimp complaint was lodged against the same location on March 7. The address is in the Highbridge Gardens housing project.

On July 14, one blab-oon called 311 shortly before 1 a.m. about alleged monkey business going on at 25-74 42nd St., a five-unit building in Astoria.

Overall, exotic animal complaints this year were up 77 percent — possibly because more covid-concerned New Yorkers were home to hear annoying animals sounds, rather than being at work.

Queens led the roost when it came to 311 animal complaints this year with 89, followed by Brooklyn (77), The Bronx (69) and Staten Island (57). Manhattan denizens complained  about illegal pets on just 23 occasions.

The city health code prohibits the ownership of a menagerie’s worth of animals, from zebras to elephants to bats.

Ferrets are still a no-go in Gotham, despite a 2015 drive to lift a 16-year ban, but that hasn’t stopped fans of the furry mammals from owning them.

The city logged four ferret complaints.

City dwellers were more bothered by snakes, which resulted in nine calls to 311 through Sept. 15.

There were no lions, tigers or bears reported this year. The last time that happened was in 2003, when Ming, a 300-pound tiger, was discovered living inside a Harlem public housing building. The jungle beast spent his last 15 years at an animal sanctuary in Ohio  following his rescue from the Drew Hamilton Houses, and died last year.