Exotic Pets Legal In California

Are tenrecs legal in california.

Exotic pets legal in california. California has some of the toughest laws on exotic pets in the nation. You have to have a specific reason to have an exotic animal in california. They include the water buffalo yaks pot bellied pigs alpaca and llamas. In california most exotic mammals are illegal including ferrets.

You can obtain a license to own a serval in montana north dakota south dakota oklahoma texas arizona mississippi missouri indiana pennsylvania and maine. A kit fox rests on a rock renne grayson cc by 2 0 via flickr. This includes the short tailed. The california fish and game code makes it a misdemeanor to keep as a pet any animal that is endangered or which the department considers a threat to public health and safety or to native fish wildlife or agriculture.

The laws regarding exotic pet ownership vary by state. California has very strict laws about what types of animals homeowners can keep as pets. Ronnie macdonald cc by 2 0 9. Several ungulate species are legal in california although most are actually domesticated even though they are considered exotic.

There doesn t appear to be any other listing for other opossum species making non didelphis species legal. It s legal to own these wild cats in nevada idaho wisconsin alabama south carolina north carolina and west virginia without a license required. However there are only a few exotic pets legal in california. The list of animals that cannot be kept as pets is long and detailed and maintained by the california department of fish.

California has some of the strictest laws in the nation on animal ownership. Exotic is a subjective term when talking about pets so california has assembled a pretty extensive and convuluted list of restricted pets non dangerous exotic animal e g. Animal rights advocates advise against keeping most wild animals in captivity but that hasn t stopped exotic pet lovers from legally owning. Some animals are banned as pets because they aren t meant to be domesticated others are dangerous to california s ecosystem.

Only hawaii s laws are more restrictive. They are not allowed as pets said andrew hughan of the state department of fish and wildlife.