Exotic Animal Laws by State
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated December 05, 2018
Perhaps you've always wanted to own a pet monkey, or you're wondering whether it's legal for your neighbor to have that cougar in his backyard. Fortunately for your curiosity, every state has exotic animal laws which allow, restrict, or prohibit ownership of certain types of animals. The following article describes some of these state laws in more detail.
Prohibited and Restricted Exotic Animals
Because of the danger inherent in animal ownership, some states prohibit the possession of wild or exotic animals altogether, while most simply restrict possession to certain species. For example, South Carolina prohibits owning lions as pets, but you can still own a monkey. In Arkansas, you can own bobcats, but not more than six at a time. South Dakota will let you keep a bear on your property, but domestic pigs are prohibited.
Many exceptions and qualifications apply to these exotic animal laws. Statutes often exempt people and organizations who possess exotic animals for exhibition, scientific, or educational purposes. Additionally, if you owned an exotic animal before a certain date, you may be grandfathered in if you registered or obtained a permit in time. However, even if you're allowed to own a certain type of animal, you may still be liable for any injuries or damage caused by your exotic pet, which can be severe.
Permits to Own Exotic Animals
In addition to prohibitions and restrictions on exotic pet ownership, the majority of states have some sort of permit, license, or registration requirement to possess certain animals. For example, in Vermont you'll need a permit to own an anaconda, but not to keep a pet alligator. Idaho requires a permit for tigers and other "deleterious exotic animals."
However, it's important to keep in mind that while your state may allow you to keep certain animals as pets, there are often county or city rules which further restrict or prohibit such ownership. Additionally, state laws are frequently changing as concerns for public safety and animal wellbeing develop further, so you should always double check to see if there is any new or proposed state or local legislation.
Breaking Down Exotic Animal Laws by State
The table below lists examples of prohibited and permitted exotic animals in each state, as well as licensing laws and key statutes.
Examples of Prohibited Animals |
Examples of Allowed Animals |
Special Permits or Licenses |
State Statutes |
|
Alabama |
Mongoose, jack rabbit, moose, deer, elk, fox, raccoon from outside state |
Lion, tiger, monkey, bear |
Possession of wildlife for public exhibition with permit. Protected wild birds or wild animals with permit. |
|
Alaska |
Bears, monkeys, wolves, and other live game animals |
Reindeer, llama, ferret, macaw, alligator, crocodile |
Possession of chimpanzee owned before 1/31/2010 allowed with permit obtained before 7/1/2010. Wolves allowed with permit. |
|
Arizona |
Jaguars; all wildlife listed in R12-4-406 except with license |
Monkeys (with special license or exemption) |
Possession of wildlife allowed with permit, license, or exemption |
|
Arkansas |
Lion, tiger, bear, 6 or more bobcats, rabbits, quail, ape, baboon, macaque |
Wolves under certain conditions |
Permit required for large carnivores (e.g. bears) owned before 8/12/2005 and permitted within 180 days of 8/12/2005 |
|
California |
Wolverine, bighorn sheep, falcon |
Zebra, cat hybrid, toucan, llama, alpaca, chinchilla, camel |
Permits required for import, transport, possession of animals listed in §671 |
|
Colorado |
Wildlife generally, wildebeest, raccoon, hedgehog, monk parakeet |
Alpaca, camel, ferret, llama, reindeer, mink, bison, zebra, red kangaroo |
Licensing for falconry and scientific purposes allowed |
|
Connecticut |
Lion, leopard, bobcat, wolf, bear, chimpanzee |
Primate under 35 lbs. at maturity and owned before 10/1/2010 |
Permits required for wild and exotic animals |
|
Delaware |
Wild life generally, except by permit; non-native poisonous snakes |
No permit required: chinchilla, hedgehog, ferret, possum, sugar glider Permit required: lion, tiger, monkey, etc. |
Permits generally required to possess wild and exotic animals |
|
District of Columbia |
Private possession generally banned |
Nonpoisonous snakes, turtles, racing pigeons |
Permit required to keep more than six mammals larger than a guinea pig and over four months old |
|
Florida |
Chimpanzees, tigers, lions, crocodiles, jaguars, leopards, venomous reptiles prohibited |
Permit required: howler monkey, cougar, bobcat, cheetah, wolf, alligator, giraffe No permit required: ferret, parrot, hedgehog, chinchilla |
Permits required to possess certain wildlife |
|
Georgia |
Kangaroo, monkey, fox, wolf, crocodile, alligator, cobra |
Sugar glider, European ferret |
Permits for prohibited animals allowed for persons engaged in wholesale or retail wild animal business or public exhibition; special permits required for ownership of capuchin monkey by disabled persons |
|
Hawaii |
Introduction of exotic animals to Hawaii for private use is prohibited (e.g. ferret, alligator, dragon lizard, gecko, leopard, wolf, fox, dog and cat hybrids) |
Guinea pig, chinchilla, domesticated mouse and rat, parakeet, dove |
Permits required |
|
Idaho |
"Deleterious exotic animals" (i.e. non-native and dangerous) prohibited without permit (e.g. monkey, leopard, wolf) |
No permit required: llama, alpaca, mink Permit required: "deleterious exotic animals" (e.g. lion, tiger, monkey) |
Permits required for "deleterious exotic animals" |
|
Illinois |
Private possession of dangerous animals prohibited (leopard, bobcat, wolf, ocelot, etc.) |
Non-dangerous exotic animal (e.g. skunk, mink); primate owned before 1/1/2011 and registered before 4/1/2011 |
Registration required for permitted primate and capuchin monkey (used by disabled person) |
|
Indiana |
With permit: fox, raccoon, skunk, wolf, bear, wild cat, venomous reptile, crocodile |
Permits required for certain wild animals (classes I, II, & III) |
||
Iowa |
Wolf, hyena, leopard, bear, primate, crocodile, cobra, python |
Wolf-dog hybrid, certain cat hybrids |
License required for falconry |
|
Kansas |
Lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, bear, non-native venomous snake (exceptions apply) |
Animals not designated as "dangerous regulated animals": porcupine, monkey, etc. |
Exemptions for persons licensed by the USDA and holding an Animal Welfare Act license; permits required for certain animals |
|
Kentucky |
"Inherently dangerous exotic animals": primate, tiger, lion, bear, alligator, honey badger (except those owned prior to 7/13/2005) |
Alpaca, goat, camel, chinchilla, llama, parrot, toucan, yak |
||
Louisiana |
Bear, wolf, tiger, lion, leopard, jaguar, primate, fox |
Wolf hybrid, venomous snake with permit |
Permit required for persons owning exotic animal prior to effective date of regulation |
|
Maine |
Bear, moose, wild turkey, deer, lion, cheetah, wolf, monkey, camel, alligator, monk parakeet, mute swan |
Emu, domestic ferret, sugar glider, chinchilla allowed without permit |
Permits required to possess certain wild animals |
|
Maryland |
Fox, bear, alligator, tiger, leopard, wolf, monkey, certain venomous snakes, skunk |
Hedgehog, sugar glider, animals not listed in statute |
May keep prohibited animal owned prior to 5/31/2006 if provided written notification to local animal control before 8/1/2006 |
|
Massachusetts |
Non-domesticated, non-hybrid wild animals prohibited unless specifically exempted (e.g. bear, lion, monkey, fox, raccoon) |
Permit not required: ferret, certain turtles & geckos, dove, emu, chinchilla, sugar glider, American bison, llama Permit required: venomous snakes, gila monster |
License/permit required for certain animals |
131-23 et seq.; 131-5; 321/2.02, 2.12; 321/9.001-02; 131-77 et seq. |
Michigan |
Tiger, leopard, cheetah, lion, cougar, bear, wolf-hybrid (exceptions apply) |
Animals not classified as "large carnivores" or "wolf-hybrid" (e.g. skunk, emu, alpaca, llama) |
Permits required for allowed animals |
|
Minnesota |
"Regulated animals" including bear, tiger, cheetah, leopard, monkey, lemur (exceptions apply) |
Non-regulated animals including porcupine, ferret, camel, llama |
Those who qualify for exemption to own a regulated animal must have registered the animal by 3/2/2005. |
|
Mississippi |
Inherently dangerous animals if held without a permit (e.g. lion, tiger, bear, etc.) |
Permit not required: Ocelot, serval, llama, emu, etc. Permit required: Lion, tiger, bear, wolf, chimpanzee, leopard, hyena, etc. |
Permit required for "inherently dangerous" animals |
|
Missouri |
Unregistered dangerous wild animals including the ocelot, leopard, monkey, tiger, bear, wolf, etc. |
Registered wild animals including bear, tiger, lion, monkey, jaguar, etc. Exotic animals not considered dangerous including chinchilla, yak, servals, camel |
Permits required; registration required for "dangerous wild animals" listed in statute |
|
Montana |
Ape, bat, gibbon, raccoon, skunk, alligator Keeping more than one bear, large cat (e.g. lions, tigers, ocelots, etc.) or hybrid of those is prohibited without a permit. |
Serval cat, sugar glider, wallaby, African pygmy hedgehog, parrot, toucan Owners of exotic animals entering state must have permit |
Permit and health certificate required to import and possess certain animals into the state. |
|
Nebraska |
Bear, tiger, leopard, wolf, skunk |
Certain elk, deer, badger, beaver, deer, raccoon, alpaca, llama, camel, chinchilla, fox |
Permit required |
|
Nevada |
Alligator, crocodile, bat, coyote, fox, raccoon, moose |
Permit or license not required: Monkey, elephant, camel, ostrich, alpaca, zebra, etc. |
Permit required for certain animals |
|
New Hampshire |
Bear, tiger, leopard, monkey, ape, wolf, poisonous reptile, monkey |
Permit not required: chinchilla, ferret, llama, sugar glider, camel, bison Permit required: certain birds, fish, amphibians, turtles, snakes |
Permit required for certain animals |
|
New Jersey |
Monkey, bear, tiger, leopard, crocodile, viper, cobra, alligator, prairie dog |
Permit not required: emu, ostrich, llama, alpaca, guanaco Permit required: Ferret, exotic sheep and goat, python |
Permit required for certain animals |
|
New Mexico |
Crocodile, monkey, alligator, wolf, skunk, tiger, leopard, bear |
Ferret, llama, and other "permissible exotic animals" |
Permits required to import or possess non-domestic animals |
|
New York |
"Wild animals" including tiger, leopard, monkey, cheetah, bear, crocodile |
Sugar glider, wallaby, kangaroo, capybara, porcupine |
Permit required to possess wolf, coyote, fox, skunk, raccoon |
|
North Carolina |
Possession of dangerous animals regulated by cities and counties |
Possession of dangerous animals regulated by cities and counties |
Permit required to import skunk, fox, raccoon, bobcat, coyote, etc. but only for research, public display, zoos or circuses. Certificate of veterinary inspection required to import others. |
|
North Dakota |
Skunk, raccoon, venomous reptile, |
Chinchilla, hedgehog, sugar glider, mountain lion, wolf, deer, coyote, bear, tiger, monkey |
License required for certain categories of animals |
|
Ohio |
Lion, tiger, bear, elephant, alligator, monkey, serval (exceptions apply) |
Lemur, fox, bobcat, alpaca, llama |
Permits required for certain situations including exempted dangerous animals |
|
Oklahoma |
Illegal to own wildlife without license |
With license: bear, monkey, lion, tiger, alligator, leopard, cheetah, etc. License not required: exotic livestock, fish, amphibians, etc. |
Wildlife Breeder's License required to own exotic animals |
|
Oregon |
Exotic animals are illegal including tiger, lion, monkey, bear (except black bear), crocodile, leopard (exceptions apply) |
Alpaca, ferret, bison, camel, chinchilla, emu, ostrich, llama, lemur, sugar glider, giraffe |
Permit required for exempted exotic animals and for disabled persons who own a service monkeys |
|
Pennsylvania |
Owning exotic pets without a permit is illegal |
With permit: bear, lion, tiger, leopard, wolf, cheetah, etc. |
Permit from wildlife commission required to own exotic wildlife |
|
Rhode Island |
With permit: bear, hyena, tiger, lion, cheetah, elephant, monkey, wolf, hippo, giraffe, gila monster, etc. Without permit: gecko, chinchilla, sugar glider, etc. |
Permit required for certain wildlife |
||
South Carolina |
Coyote, wolf, tiger, lion, non-native bear, "great ape," etc. (exceptions apply to those owned and registered on or before 1/1/2018) |
With permit: bison, fox, raccoon, bobcat, beaver, deer Without permit: monkey, and certain other dangerous animals |
Permit or registration required for certain wildlife |
|
South Dakota |
Non-domestic pig and raccoon-dog |
With permit: tiger, lion, bear, hyena, wolf, fox, dingo, African elephant, monkey, ferret, wolverine, giraffe |
Permit required for non-domestic mammal |
|
Tennessee |
Chimpanzee, gorilla, baboon, wolf, bear, lion, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, crocodile, alligator, poisonous snakes (exceptions apply) |
Monkey, ocelot, serval, ferret, chinchilla, llama, alpaca, camel, giraffe, ostrich, kangaroo, bobcat |
Permits required for persons who legally possessed prohibited wildlife prior to 6/25/1991. |
|
Texas |
With certificate: Tiger, leopard, bobcat, jaguar, serval, bear, baboon, chimpanzee, gorilla, etc. Without certificate: monkey, ferret, lemur, capybara, etc. |
Certificate of registration required to own dangerous wild animals |
||
Utah |
Bear, tiger, lion, cheetah, monkey, ape, gorilla, kangaroo, lemur (exceptions apply) |
With certificate: hedgehog, coyote, etc. Without certificate: alligator, crocodile, alpaca, camel, chinchilla, ostrich, sugar glider, penguin, etc. |
Certificate of registration required for certain "controlled" species |
|
Vermont |
Exotic animals prohibited as pets, including bear, lion, tiger, wolf, gorilla, monkey, etc. |
With permit: anaconda, skink, and other "restricted wild animals" Without permit: llama, alpaca, bison, European ferret, ostrich, yak, sugar glider, chinchilla, alligator, etc. |
Permit required for restricted wild animals |
|
Virginia |
Bear, wolf, coyote, hyena, lion, tiger, leopard, alligator, crocodile |
Without permit: llama, alpaca, camel, chinchilla With permit: ferret, raccoon, coyote, piranha |
Permit required for certain exotic animals |
|
Washington |
Bear, wolf, crocodile, elephant, lion, tiger, cheetah, hyena, gorilla, crocodile, alligator, certain venomous snakes (exceptions apply) |
Ferret, llama, other domesticated animals |
||
West Virginia |
Lion, tiger, bear, elephant, gray wolf, cheetah, alligator, crocodile, hyena |
Ferret, lemur, other animals not listed as prohibited |
Permits may be obtained for dangerous non-native wild animals owned prior to 6/1/2015 |
|
Wisconsin |
Harmful native wildlife prohibited without license (e.g. cougar, black bear, raccoon, bobcat) |
Lion, tiger, monkey, llama, giraffe, chinchilla, porcupine, weasel, chipmunk, mole |
License required to for certain wild animals |
|
Wyoming |
Big game animal (e.g. antelope, sheep, deer, elk, moose) Trophy game (e.g. black bear, grizzly bear, mountain lion) Wolf, wolf hybrid |
Without permit: domestic ferret, alpaca, camel, chinchilla, llama, wolf (if captured in state) With permit (or without permit if captured in state): |
Permit required for certain live wildlife |
Don't Get Bitten by Your State's Exotic Animal Laws
In addition to federal laws governing animal ownership and treatment, every state has certain prohibitions or restrictions on which exotic animals can be owned as pets. Whether you already own an exotic animal, are thinking about purchasing one, or have been harmed by someone else's pet, contact a personal injury attorney to get a better handle on your state's exotic animal laws.
Next Steps
Contact a qualified personal injury attorney to make sure your rights are protected.