Driving With A Gorilla? Does This Bizarre Traffic Law Still Exist In New England?

Why is this strange law still on the books, or is it?

In Massachusetts, it's supposedly against the law to drive with a gorilla in the back seat of your car, according to Nationwide. I tried to find the specifics in the Massachusetts General Laws, but came up short. However, in my Google search, I came across an article that clarified a few laws which would make having a gorilla in your car illegal, even though the word "gorilla" is not used. For example, Mass. Law Libraries states:

No person shall transport an animal in the back of a motor vehicle in a space intended for a load on the vehicle on a public way unless such space is enclosed or has side and tail racks to a height of at least 46 inches extending vertically from the floor, the animal is cross tethered to the vehicle, the animal is protected by a secured container or cage or the animal is otherwise protected in a manner which will prevent the animal from being thrown or from falling or jumping from the vehicle.

There is also a Massachusetts law about the "importation, transportation, and possession of endangered species," which would include gorillas.

The third law which would make it illegal to have a gorilla in your car is actually a federal law. Mass. Law Libraries mentions federal law 9 CFR 3.87 regarding permits and the "transportation of nonhuman primates."

So, the long answer to our question is: Yes, it is illegal to have a gorilla in the back seat, or any part of your car.