The United States is blessed with wild and exotic pets guided by laws that specify if an animal is banned, allowed, or needs specific authorization.
Some states allow exotic pets like kangaroos or squirrels to be kept, while it is illegal in other states.
It is best to know your state’s animal policy before you plan to keep a pet.
Below is a list of United States laws on exotic pets.
Alabama
People in Alabama can’t own, import, or sell fish that belongs to the genus Clarias “walking fish”; black carp; Serrasalmus “piranha”; coyote, raccoon, fox, wild turkeys, wild rodents, or skunk; species of mongoose; Cervidae, which includes elk, deer, caribou, and moose.
No permits or licenses exist for exotic pets, especially tigers, lions, bears, or monkeys.
A special license is required for individuals looking to exhibit any wild animal. Also, a permit is needed to protect birds from the wild.
Alaska
People in Alaska are not allowed to import, export, sell, or own live games, including reptiles, birds, or mammals.
The state’s law specifies all non-domestic animals, including bears, wild canines, wild felines, and primates.
The restriction also affects wolf hybrids after January 23, 2002, and primates like chimpanzees after January 31, 2010.
Possession of these animals without the need for permits was allowed before these dates.
While the Department of Fish and Game grants permits for educational and scientific purposes, prospective exotic pet owners can still request permits to own any banned animals.
Arizona
The Arizona administrative code dictates that having non-domestic felines and canine pronates (aside from non-infant primates free from zoonotic diseases), crocodiles, alligators, poisonous snakes, and more is illegal.
Specific permits are only issued to particular groups or individuals who want to use them for public health, education, commercial photography, wildlife management, or rehabilitation.
Arkansas
Massive carnivorous animals such as tigers, lions, and bears are illegal to own. This also includes baboons, apes, and macaques.
Arkansas’s people aren’t allowed to own more than six animals, including squirrels, bobcats, raccoons, rabbits, opossums, quail, deer, coyotes, grey foxes, and red foxes.
Verification would also be required if another state legally adopted an animal.
California
The California Natural Resources Agency banned most wild animals. Residents, including bighorn sheep, seals, and falcons, cannot keep animals.
Keeping non-domestic felines, canines, crocodiles, elephants, and other animals is also illegal. Pet owners can only own alpacas, cattle, camels, and llamas.
Colorado
The Colorado wildlife law doesn’t permit the ownership of exotic animals such as raccoons, wild hogs, wildebeest, skunks, porcupines, monk parakeets, squirrels, hedgehogs, opossums, and primates.
However, the law permits the ownership of some native reptiles.
Connecticut
Connecticut’s United States law on exotic pets bans potentially dangerous animals. The list includes large cats, bears, primates, and wolves.
Ownership is only allowed if your primate is below 35 lbs at maturity and was adopted before October 1, 2010.
Delaware
Permits for ownership of wild mammals and hybrids are required in Delaware.
Pets permitted include opossums, ferrets, rabbits, chinchillas, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, and many more.
The law also allows pet owners to keep lizards such as bearded dragons, basilisks, chameleons, water dragons, anoles, iguanas, geckos, and more. Notwithstanding, keeping a non-native venomous snake is illegal.
Florida
The Florida Administrative Code states that owning a Class I animal is illegal, whereas owning a Class II animal requires a permit.
- Class I animals: These include large cats, bears, rhinos, chimpanzees, crocodiles, and more.
- Class II animals: These include macaques, howler monkeys, alligators, giraffes, wolves, cheetahs, bobcats, and more.
The selling, importing, and releasing of non-native species were legally forbidden in 2010.
A further restriction was placed on capturing and keeping poisonous reptiles, including reptiles of concern.
Nevertheless, owners can keep their pets if they own them before the law is passed.
Permits aren’t needed if you own parrots, ferrets, chinchillas, hedgehogs, and other smaller rodents.
Georgia
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources listed illegal animals as dangerous animals.
The United States law on exotic pets states that animals like non-domesticated felines, non-domesticated canines, kangaroos, primates, alligators, bats, elephants, cobras, piranhas, Gila monsters, air-breathing catfish, and other poisonous snakes belong to this list.
A special permit would be required to own animals like the capuchin monkeys as support animals.
Animals such as European ferrets, sugar gliders, domesticated rabbits, and some small-sized rodents are allowed without permits.
Hawaii
Exotic animals that aren’t allowed in Hawaii include large cats, bears, wild cats and dog hybrids, wild canines, birds of prey, geckos, deer, and wild cattle.
Animals like gerbils, hedgehogs, hamsters, alligators, and ferrets are also prohibited.
Potential pet owners can keep chinchillas, parakeets, domesticated rats, mice, guinea pigs, and doves.
Idaho
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture doesn’t allow any “deleterious” animal that can threaten the environment, livestock, wildlife, or agriculture.
These animals include primates, big cats, wild boars, opossums, hedgehogs, and non-native canines.
Special permits can be obtained from the Idaho Department of Agriculture to adopt an illegal animal.
Nevertheless, the state allows for owning animals like monks, guinea pigs, alpacas, llamas, or chinchillas.
Illinois
The state’s law doesn’t permit the ownership of dangerous animals as pets except if it’s a licensed circus, a zoo, or a specific organization.
Some illegal animals include coyotes, large cats, bears, poisonous reptiles, and wolves.
Illinois doesn’t allow primates as pets except if they were adopted and registered before 2011.
Exceptions can be given to capuchin monkeys adopted as support animals, but with the necessary permit. Fortunately, owning other exotic pets is allowed.
Indiana
Owning an exotic pet in Indiana is a lot easier than in other states, but pet owners still have to have permits for most of the animals.
Special permits are needed for Class I squirrels, including domestic rabbits, Class II mammals, and Class III dangerous animals such as bears, large cats, wolves, gorillas, hyenas, poisonous reptiles, anacondas, Burmese pythons, and others.
Permits are unnecessary for common pets such as ferrets, sugar gliders, foxes, savannah cats, prairie dogs, skunks, and raccoons.
Iowa
The United States laws on exotic pets feature Iowa providing more direct rules regarding animal adoption.
Ownership or breeding dangerous wild animals in the state is illegal, including non-domestic dogs and cats, primates, bears, some reptiles, and others.
The state permits some hybrid cats and wolf-dog, but a permit is needed to keep raptors and falconry.
Kansas
Kansas has strict laws that don’t allow dangerous animals as pets unless it’s an approved facility, animal sanctuary, or zoo. Dangerous animals on the list include venomous snakes, bears, and large cats.
Keeping monk parakeets and ferrets is illegal, while potential pet owners can weigh their pet options in monkeys. Permits are also needed to keep raptors and falconry.
Kentucky
Pet owners aren’t allowed to keep inherently dangerous pets such as large cats, bears, honey badgers, dangerous reptiles, and more.
Kentucky laws allow the adoption of goats, chinchillas, camels, alpacas, parrots, llamas, yaks, and toucans.
Louisiana
Louisiana doesn’t permit the ownership of bears, primates, wild felines, or wild canines unless in exceptional cases.
Permission is also required to own large constricting or venomous snakes.
Maine
Backing or possessing wild animals in Maine without proper permits is illegal.
People in Maine aren’t allowed to keep moose, deer, wild turkeys, or bears.
Other illegal animals include wolves, lions, cheetahs, camels, monkeys, monk parakeets, alligators, and mute swans.
Residents can keep domestic ferrets, emus, chinchillas, and sugar gliders with the right permits.
Maryland
The beautiful state of Maryland doesn’t allow the ownership of a wide selection of exotic pets.
Wild canines, wild felines, raccoons, bears, skunks, primates, alligators, selected venomous snakes, and some exotic pets are banned in the state.
Notwithstanding, sugar gliders and hedgehogs are allowed.
Massachusetts
Keeping any wild animal as pets in Massachusetts is prohibited.
The state listed wild animals as non-domesticated, including big cats, bears, primates, and wild dogs.
Owning geckos, ferrets, some turtles, emus, doves, sugar gliders, llamas, American bison, or chinchillas is allowed.
Mississippi
Felines such as servals and ocelots are permitted in Mississippi without any permit. Amazingly, llamas can also be adopted without a license.
However, as the state’s law specifies, dangerous animals require a proper license to be owned as pets.
These dangerous animals include wild canines, bears, big cats, elephants, wolves, rhinos, hyenas, primates, and hippos.
Permits for keeping any of these animals are very steep and would only be valid for a year for one pet.
Missouri
You must have your animal registered with the county, especially if it is on the state’s list of potentially dangerous wild animals.
You can keep animals like wolves, ocelots, primates, tigers, lions, and poisonous reptiles with the proper paperwork.
Permits are not required for animals like yams, camels, servals, and chinchillas.
Montana
The United States laws on exotic pets in Montana state require a permit to own a wild animal.
This is particular for owners who don’t exhibit their wild animals, such as bears and large cats.
The state specifies that exotic pets that are brought in must have a health certificate and a one-time entry permit.
Also, the state bans animals such as bats, apes, spiders, gibbons, opossums, howler monkeys, raccoons, red ears, slider turtles, anacondas, pythons, nutria, foxes, skunks, crocodilians, and many more.
The animals that do not require permits include wallabies, serval cats, parrots, sugar gliders, African Pygmy hedgehogs, toucans, and some non-poisonous reptiles.
Nebraska
The Nebraska state law claims keeping primates and reptiles is legal.
Illegal animals include skunks, non-domesticated felines, bears, and wolves. Prospective exotic pet owners can apply for permits to retain banned animals.
Nevada
The state of Nevada has some lenient wildlife regulations.
Exotic pet owners can add wolves, camels, ostriches, zebras, alpacas, elephants, zebras, primates, non-domesticated felines, and more to their collection without a license or permit.
Illegal animals include crocodiles, alligators, bats, moose, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and venomous snakes.
New Hampshire
Poisonous reptiles, primates, bears, wolves, big cats, and other animals are banned in New Hampshire.
Some fish, birds, turtles, amphibians, and snakes need permits.
Prospective pet owners do not require any paperwork to adopt sugar gliders, llamas, ferrets, chinchillas, camels, bison, or pigs as pets.
New Jersey
Animals the state classed as potentially dangerous are not allowed to be adopted.
This includes non-domesticated cats, primates, and bears. This list includes some animals, such as monk and ring-necked parakeets, ground squirrels, and axolotls.
After meeting extensive requirements, exhibitors and zoos may request a permit.
A permit is also needed to keep exotic sheep, goats, hedgehogs, parrots, ferrets, some lizards, and venomous snakes.
The state does not require a permit for animals such as ostrich, emu, alpaca, rheas, or llamas as pets.
New Mexico
The United States laws on exotic pets in New Mexico state that you cannot keep primates, non-domesticated felines, crocodiles, skunks, wolves, alligators, wolves, and bears.
Paperwork for non-domestic animals would have to be filled out, but you don’t have to endure the stress of keeping llamas and ferrets.
New York
The state of New York maintains that prospective pet owners aren’t allowed to keep any wild animal, including venomous reptiles, bears, primates, crocodiles, and non-domestic canines or felines.
However, the state permits ownership of kangaroos, porcupines, capybaras, sugar gliders, wallabies, and some non-venomous reptiles.
North Carolina
The wildlife laws in North Carolina allow each city and county to establish ordinances concerning exotic pets.
Potential pet owners may or may not have any guidelines depending on what part of the state they live in.
An entry permit would be required, and you can get one from the state vet.
Animals that require a permit include foxes, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, brushtail possums, martens, and non-domestic felines.
North Dakota
The North Dakota law states that citizens may or may not require a license to keep an animal.
Owning an exotic pet depends on the animal category, and dangerous animals are listed as Category 4.
Animals in this category require a license, and some of them include primates, wolves, bears, and all non-domesticated felines apart from Canadian lynx and bobcats.
People in the state can keep animals like arachnids, amphibians, chinchillas, non-venomous reptiles, sugar gliders, and hedgehogs without a license.
Ohio
Since the Zanesville massacre in 2011, Ohio has had its laws changed. Over 50 wild animals have been released, requiring authorities to euthanize tigers, lions, wolves, and bears that roam the streets.
The Dangerous Wild Animal Act has since made it compulsory to get permits for animals like bears, lions, elephants, tigers, monkeys, alligators, and servals.
Animals requiring no paperwork include foxes, lemurs, alpacas, bobcats, and llamas.
Oklahoma
Residents in Oklahoma can keep any animal as long as they can present their wildlife breeder’s license.
However, the license doesn’t allow the ownership of exotic fish, livestock, and amphibians.
Oregon
Possessing bears, wild cats, foreign canines, alligators, monkeys, crocs, or caimans is illegal.
A special permit can be acquired for an emotional support monkey.
Animals that don’t require permits include ferrets, alpacas, camels, bison, emus, chinchillas, llamas, ostriches, sugar gliders, lemurs, and giraffes.
Pennsylvania
The United States law on exotic pets in Pennsylvania requires that exotic pet owners acquire a permit for their animals.
This list includes jaguars, leopards, tigers, bears, wolves, and coyotes.
Animals permitted as pets without permits include ferrets, hedgehogs (acquired within the state), and non-native venomous reptiles.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island requires permits to keep hyenas, bears, lions, tigers, cheetahs, monkeys, elephants, hippos, wolves, Gila monsters, and giraffes.
The licenses should also include proof that potential pet owners know how to care for the animals and can provide suitable accommodation for them.
Chinchillas, geckos, and sugar gliders are animals that do not require any permit.
South Carolina
South Carolina prohibits owning animals such as lions, tigers, wolves, coyotes, great apes, and non-native bears. However, it doesn’t include those who were certified before January 2018.
A permit is needed to keep exotic animals like raccoons, foxes, beavers, deer, bison, and bobcats.
Permits aren’t required for animals like reptiles, monkeys, parrots, rabbits, amphibians, tropical fish, or rodent pets such as hamsters, mice, gerbils, and guinea pigs.
South Dakota
Owning hoofed animals, primates, bears, large cats, or other exotic pets requires permits and a vet’s examination.
The state of South Dakota prohibits the ownership of non-domestic pigs and raccoon dogs.
Tennessee
The list of pets banned by the state includes gorillas, chimpanzees, wolves, baboons, lions, cheetahs, bears, tigers, cheetahs, rhinos, elephants, alligators, crocs, and venomous snakes.
There are no regulations on animals like monkeys and wild cats like servals, bobcats, and ocelots.
Pet owners can keep animals such as chinchillas, ferrets, alpacas, llamas, camels, ostriches, giraffes, and kangaroos without any permit.
Texas
A permit is required to keep several animals the state lists as dangerous. This includes animals like coyotes, bears, apes, tigers, lions, and many others.
There are presently no laws affecting the ownership of wolves, ferrets, capybaras, monkeys, lemurs, and others.
Utah
Utah only allows the ownership of animals like apes, monkeys, kangaroos, ferrets, all non-domesticated cats, bears, coyotes, hedgehogs, and more with a permit.
Unfortunately, getting a permit is very difficult because they are rarely authorized.
Pet owners can take advantage of keeping animals like chinchillas, sugar gliders, ostriches, camels, crocodiles, alpacas, penguins, and alligators because they don’t require any permits.
Vermont
Vermont wildlife laws don’t allow you to keep exotic animals as pets unless it’s for exhibitions and educational purposes.
The animals on the list include poisonous reptiles, bears, primates, wolves, and large cats.
You would also require a permit to keep an exotic animal even for exhibitory and educational purposes.
Nonetheless, you can keep alpacas, alligators, chinchillas, yaks, ostriches, European ferrets, llamas, bison, and sugar gliders without a license.
Virginia
Virginia’s United States laws on exotic pets let you keep primates as exotic pets. Animals like camels, alpacas, llamas, and chinchillas require the right paperwork to own.
Exotic animals used for exhibitory and educational purposes require a license.
Animals that are prohibited include wolves, bears, coyotes, lions, hyenas, tigers, crocodiles, alligators, and leopards.
Potential pet owners can also apply for permits to adopt the animals that the state of Virginia has prohibited.
Washington
The Washington state laws restricted dangerous animals and prohibited them from being kept as pets.
This change was made in 2007, and the animals affected include wolves, bears, primates, large cats, alligators, elephants, and venomous snakes, but it doesn’t affect llamas and ferrets.
West Virginia
In 2015, West Virginia outlawed the ownership of dangerous non-native wild animals, except in cases where they were already owned before then.
The endangered non-native wild animals include bears, grey wolves, elephants, big cats, primates, rhinoceroses, and more.
Lemurs and ferrets can be kept without any hassle.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin requires a certificate of veterinary inspection and import permit from people looking to bring wind animals into the state.
There are specific rodents that the state doesn’t allow unless you have direct permission from the Department of Natural Resources.
Harmful native animals, including raccoons, black bears, bobcats, and cougars, aren’t allowed as pets. However, the state allows pet owners to keep monkeys.
Wyoming
The United States laws on exotic pets in Wyoming prohibit big game animals such as sheep, elk, antelope, and moose, trophy game like mountain lions, grizzly, and black bears, and exotic species as pets.
Prospective pet owners do not require permits to own domestic ferrets, camels, alpacas, llamas, chinchillas, and wolves.
You can consult the nearest veterinarian and reputable breeders to get more information.
Knowing the laws guiding exotic animals would save you the stress of adopting any that might get you in trouble.
