In California, it is illegal to own certain types of pets. This prohibition includes 5 common animals: ferrets, hedgehogs, monkeys, squirrels, and gerbils. It also includes more dangerous animals, as well as those that are endangered. Violating the law is a crime that carries up to 6 months in jail, as well as monetary penalties, though prosecutions are rare.
Common animals that are illegal to own
California’s laws against owning certain animals as pets are among the most restrictive in the U.S.[1] To the surprise of many interested pet owners, including current owners moving to California from out of state, California prohibits owning the following five types of animals as pets:
- ferrets,
- hedgehogs,
- monkeys,
- squirrels, and
- gerbils.
Only California and Hawaii prohibit owning a ferret as a pet. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) justifies the ban by saying abandoned or escaped pet ferrets would pose a threat to native wildlife and natural resources if they established a feral population.[2] Numerous attempts to make ferrets legal have been made, but none have been successful.[3]
Hedgehogs and gerbils are prohibited because the CDFW considers them to be a:
- threat to native fish and wildlife,
- unwanted source of predation, and
- potential disease transmitter.[4]
This includes the increasingly popular African pygmy hedgehog.
These 5 types of animals are just some of the most common types of pets that California forbids. Other popular pets that are legal elsewhere but illegal under California law include:
- Monk or Quaker parakeets,
- crows,
- skunks,
- parrots,
- lemurs,
- chimpanzees,
- non-domesticated chinchillas,
- hamsters other than domesticated races of golden or dwarf hamsters,
- sugar gliders,
- raccoons, and
- otters. [5]
Additionally, jurisdictions within California may ban other types of wild animals as pets. For example, many cities forbid owning pit bulls that have not been spayed or neutered.
Knowing the rules is especially important for visitors to the state of California. According to the CDFW:
“A Restricted Species Permit is required for every person who imports, exports or possesses any restricted animal listed in state regulations. Restricted Species Permits are issued for limited purposes and involve stringent requirements. Even a recreational vehicle trip to the Golden State would not be one of those purposes”[6]
Dangerous animals illegal in California
In the name of public safety, California state law also forbids keeping certain dangerous animals as pets. This includes:
- foxes,
- coyotes,
- lions,
- tigers,
- leopards,
- cheetahs,
- bears,
- bobcats,
- hawks,
- wolves and wolf hybrids,
- crocodiles and alligators, and
- vipers. [7]
Other, non-dangerous animals that can amount to illegal pet ownership include:
- zebras,
- certain non-native snails,
- lemurs, and
- other primates.
Endangered animals cannot be owned as pets
Many animals that are endangered or nearly endangered are prohibited as pets in California. These include:
- jaguars,
- pandas, and
- elephants. [8]
Exceptions to the rule
The only way to legally own one of these animals is by getting a permit to do so. Permits are issued by the CDFW.[9]
There are a variety of permits available, depending on what you want to do with the animal. For example, there are permits for:
- doing research on the animal,
- running a shelter,
- exhibiting the animal, whether at a single event or in a zoo or aquarium,
- breeding the animal,
- aquaculture, and
- animal care.
The costs of the appropriate permits are often very high. All permits require an application and an inspection. For new permits, this costs over $450. The permits typically last for a year. Renewals cost nearly $400. In addition to these fees, there is another one for the permit, itself.
Most pet owners would try to apply for a permit for animal care. The cost would depend on whether the animal is designated as a:
- detrimental animal, or one that poses a threat to native species, the local ecosystem, agriculture, or public health or safety, or
- welfare animal, or one that is banned to prevent the depletion of wild populations.[10]
You would also have to demonstrate that you have the experience and ability to care for the exotic animal.
Penalties for a violation
Keeping an illegal animal as a pet in California is a crime. It is punishable as a misdemeanor offense, which carries:
- up to 6 months in jail, and
- a fine of between $500 and $10,000.[11]
The animal will likely be taken from you, and you will be made to pay the costs of:
- the investigation,
- attorneys’ fees,
- expert witness fees,
- caring for the animal for at least 30 days,
- transporting the animal out of California, and/or
- euthanizing the animal.[12]
However, the criminal defense lawyers at our law firm have found that exotic pet owners are rarely prosecuted.
Legal Citations:
[1] See 14 California Code of Regulations (CCR) 671 for a full list of prohibited animals.
[2] Gary Orval Graening, “Impacts of domesticated ferrets upon wildlife, agriculture, and human health in the USA, compiled from state agency surveys and literature review, with special emphasis upon California,” California Fish and Wildlife Scientific Journal (June 30, 2022).
[3] Andrew J. Campa, “One man is fighting to end California’s ban on ferrets. Is time running out?” Los Angeles Times (June 24, 2022).
[4] California Department of Fish and Wildlife, “Living With Wildlife – FAQs.”
[5] 14 CCR 671.
[6] California Department of Fish and Wildlife, “California Outdoors Q&A.”
[7] 14 CCR 671.
[8] Same.
[9] 14 CCR 671.1.
[10] 14 CCR 671.
[11] California Fish and Game Code 2125 FGC.
[12] Same.