Big Cat Ownership Laws in Nebraska: What Is Banned and Who Is Exempt
November 2, 2026
Big cat ownership laws in Nebraska are some of the clearest in the country: the state does not let private citizens keep tigers, lions, cougars, leopards or jaguars. That ban is older than the federal Big Cat Public Safety Act and, as the state’s wording shows, it reaches far beyond the species most people picture.
Nebraska has a reputation as a relaxed exotic pet state, but that reputation does not cover wild cats. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission lists every wild and hybrid cat as banned, including Bengal and Savannah cats with wild ancestry.
This article tells you what the law covers, who is exempt, what happens to cubs and hybrids, and how state, federal and city rules fit together. If you are thinking about owning or moving a wild cat, read the rules first.
Important Note: This article is general legal information, not legal advice. If you already hold a big cat or hybrid, or face a seizure or charge, contact the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission or a licensed attorney before you act.
Are Big Cats Legal to Own in Nebraska?
No. Nebraska law bars private individuals from keeping big cats in captivity. The state statute says no person may keep any member of the families Felidae and Ursidae, which means wild cats and bears. Domestic cats are the only cats carved out.
According to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, state law prohibits keeping wolves, skunks, bears, and all wild and hybrid cats, including Bengal and Savannah cats. The agency’s own table lists tigers, servals, cougars and other wild cats as banned, with no permit available.
The ban is not new. A cougar ownership breakdown notes that Nebraska’s prohibition predates the 2022 federal Big Cat Public Safety Act. In practice, two separate legal systems now point to the same answer.
Which Big Cats Does Nebraska Law Cover?
Nebraska does not write a list of named species. It uses the scientific family instead, so the law covers every member of Felidae except the house cat. That includes lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, snow leopards, clouded leopards, cheetahs, servals, caracals and ocelots.
The state’s approach is broader than the federal one. The federal Act names a specific set of species, while Nebraska catches anything in the cat family. One multi-state comparison quotes the statute’s “any member of the families Felidae and Ursidae” wording and notes that it catches both big cats and smaller wild cats like the serval.
| Animal | Nebraska Status for Private Owners |
|---|---|
| Tiger, lion, leopard, jaguar | Banned |
| Cougar (mountain lion) | Banned |
| Serval, caracal, ocelot | Banned |
| Bobcat, Canada lynx | Not allowed as pets; fur production permit only |
| Wild-cat hybrids (Bengal, Savannah) | Banned regardless of generation |
| Domestic cat | Legal |
Is Private Ownership of Big Cats Banned in Nebraska?
Yes. Under Nebraska’s captive wildlife statutes, the permit system that exists for some wild animals does not open a door for big cats. Subsection (2) of section 37-477 states that, subject to the grandfather clause, no person shall keep in captivity in this state any wolf, any skunk, or any member of the families Felidae and Ursidae.
The Game and Parks Commission is just as direct about permits. For serval, tiger, cougar or any other wild cat, the permit column in its table reads “Not available.” You cannot apply your way into legal ownership.
Born Free USA classifies Nebraska in Category B, its label for states that ban private ownership of exotic felines, bears and similar animals.
Federal Big Cat Law and How It Applies in Nebraska
The federal Big Cat Public Safety Act sits on top of Nebraska’s ban. According to a summary of the law, the Act makes it illegal to privately possess or breed big cats, and it was signed into law December 20, 2022. It also bars public contact with big cats, including cubs.
The Act’s covered species are lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard, jaguar, cheetah and cougar, plus hybrids of any of them. It amended two older federal laws rather than creating a new regime.
For you, the practical effect is stacked exposure. Someone caught with an unauthorized big cat in Nebraska can face a state Class IV misdemeanor under the captive wildlife statute and possible federal action under the Act, according to the cougar ownership analysis. Exact penalties depend on the charge filed, so get legal advice if you are in that position.
Big Cat Permit and License Requirements in Nebraska
There is no permit that lets a private person keep a big cat. Nebraska’s Captive Wildlife Permit covers a limited list of species such as foxes, raccoons and deer, but wild cats are not on the list for hobbyists or pet owners.
The one narrow permit path involves bobcats and Canada lynx. The Commission says they are “Not allowed as pets,” and are permitted for fur production only. Per the statute, that permit holder must raise them solely to produce furs for sale or breeding stock for fur producers.
Where permits do apply, the process is simple. The Commission says you can apply online through GoOutdoorsNebraska under “Commercial Hobbyist,” or mail the application with payment of $33. Permit holders must also report to the Commission each January 15 for the prior calendar year.
Pro Tip: Paying a permit fee does not make a banned animal legal. Check the Prohibited Wildlife list on the Commission’s captive wildlife page before you buy anything.
Who Is Exempt From Nebraska Big Cat Laws? (Zoos, Sanctuaries, Exhibitors)
The exemptions are specific. Under section 37-477, the permit rules do not apply to domestic cats, to any zoo, park, refuge, wildlife area, or nature center owned or operated by a city, village, state, or federal agency or any zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums or the Zoological Association of America. Fur-production permit holders raising bobcats or lynx are the third group.
Notice what is missing. Roadside exhibitors, private menageries, and traveling acts are not named. A facility that is not government-run or accredited does not get the exemption just by calling itself a sanctuary.
Federal law adds its own exemption list, which includes accredited zoos, certain wildlife sanctuaries, and some licensed facilities. Even a federally qualified facility still has to meet Nebraska’s rules before it can hold a wild cat in the state.
Grandfathered Big Cats and Registration in Nebraska
Nebraska has a grandfather clause, but its date has long passed. Any person legally holding in captivity, on March 1, 1986, any animal subject to the prohibition shall be allowed to keep the animal for the duration of its life. Nobody can qualify today by acquiring a cat after that date.
The clause comes with a restriction. The animal shall not be traded, sold, or otherwise disposed of without written permission from the commission. If you hold a legitimately grandfathered animal, you cannot move it to a new owner on your own.
Any cat that fits the grandfather clause today would be extremely old for its species. Federal law adds a separate layer for cats that existed before the 2022 Act, including registration duties and restrictions on breeding and public contact. Confirm your status with the Commission and a lawyer.
Can You Own a Big Cat Cub or Hybrid in Nebraska?
No to both. A cub is still a member of Felidae, so the same state ban applies from the day it is born. The federal Act also prohibits public contact with big cats, cubs included, which ends the cub-petting business model.
Hybrids are covered by name. The Commission says hybrids with a wild cat ancestor are banned by state law regardless of generation or registration. That includes Bengal and Savannah cats, even a distant-generation one with paperwork from a breeder.
The federal Act also names hybrids of its listed species. A hybrid law resource reports that Nebraska wildlife officials treat all hybrid cats as illegal. Wolf-dog hybrids are treated differently from wild cat hybrids in Nebraska, so do not assume the rules match.
Can You Own a Bobcat, Lynx, Serval or Caracal in Nebraska?
You cannot keep any of them as a pet. Servals and caracals are members of Felidae, so the state ban catches them even though the federal Act does not name them. The Commission’s table lists serval as banned with no permit available.
Bobcats and Canada lynx are the only gray area. They appear in the permit list, but the Commission states that they are not allowed as pets and are allowed only for fur production. A pet bobcat permit does not exist.
Caracals are not named in the sources reviewed, but they fall under the family-wide prohibition. If you want a small wild cat, the legal answer in Nebraska is a domestic cat, and nothing with wild ancestry.
City and County Big Cat Rules in Nebraska
Local rules can be stricter than state law, never looser. Because the state already bans big cats, city ordinances matter mostly for exempt facilities and for animals that fall into legal gray areas.
One example is Kearney. According to a Nebraska exotic pet overview published in 2025, Kearney prohibits all wild animals within city limits, regardless of state permits. Check your own city or county code before you bring any wild animal onto your property.
If you are a landlord, tenant or HOA member, lease terms and covenants can add their own bans. Those private rules do not replace the state ban, but they give another party a way to remove an animal.
Moving or Transporting a Big Cat Into or Through Nebraska
The Commission is blunt about the import rule: legal in another state does not mean legal here. Wild and hybrid cats cannot be brought into Nebraska, and the table marks “No” under bringing the animal in.
An animal brought in illegally may be seized. For lawful animals, such as an accredited zoo moving an exempt cat, expect to need a pre-entry import permit, a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection and proof of legal origin. Our Nebraska pet import guide explains the general framework for exotic animals entering the state.
- Confirm the destination facility is legally exempt under state and federal law.
- Contact the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission before any movement.
- Get the import permit, veterinary certificate and origin papers in writing.
- Check federal rules and the rules of every state on the route.
The route matters too. Other states on the way may ban the animal, so a trip through Nebraska is only as legal as every border you cross.
Who Enforces Big Cat Laws in Nebraska?
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is the lead state agency. It writes the captive wildlife rules, issues permits, and under its regulations shall suspend or revoke the permit of a permittee who violates the standards. The Commission has authority to seize animals brought in illegally.
The state’s conservation officers enforce the statute in the field. At the federal level, the Big Cat Public Safety Act is enforced by federal wildlife authorities, and violations can bring separate federal penalties.
Local animal control and law enforcement also respond to complaints about dangerous animals. In most cases they will call in state wildlife officers once a wild cat is involved.
Recent Changes to Big Cat Laws in Nebraska
The biggest change in recent years is federal. The Big Cat Public Safety Act became law on December 20, 2022, and it layered a national ban on top of a Nebraska rule that was already one of the strictest.
The state’s core statute has not been reworked to loosen the ban. FindLaw’s copy of section 37-477 shows a last-updated date of January 1, 2024, and the Commission’s captive wildlife page was still listing wild and hybrid cats as banned when reviewed for this article in October 2026.
Laws can change, so confirm with the Animal Legal and Historical Center, which tracks the Nebraska statute set and listed it as last checked in August 2025. For more on other animals, see our Nebraska hedgehog ownership laws and the neighboring states’ rules in Iowa and Kansas.