Alhambra, CA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Wild-animal license
- Required to keep wild/exotic/dangerous animals (10.28.060)
- No license needed
- Birds, domestic rodents, fish, rabbits
- Reptile threshold
- Non-venomous reptiles under 6 ft exempt
- Pygmy pigs
- Licensed; no breeding in residential zone (10.28.062)
- City statement
- Wild animals and hogs not allowed as pets
Summary
Alhambra adopts L.A. County Title 10, which bars keeping a 'wild animal' without a license. County Code 10.28.060 requires a wild-animal license to keep nondomestic, exotic, or dangerous animals, but exempts ordinary pets: birds, domestic rodents, fish, non-venomous reptiles under six feet, and rabbits. The city also states wild animals and hogs are not allowed as pets.
A license is not required for the keeping of the following animals as pets: 1. Birds; 2. Domestic rodents (pet mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, and chinchillas); 3. Fish; 4. Non-venomous reptiles less than six feet in length; 5. Rabbits.
Full Breakdown
04. 250 defines a 'wild animal' as a nondomestic, exotic, or dangerous animal, including wild/domestic animal hybrids, other mammals, wildfowl, fish, and reptiles. 060 makes it unlawful to keep a wild animal within the department's jurisdiction without first obtaining a license, and failure to obtain a wild-animal license is a misdemeanor. Importantly, the same section exempts a defined list of common pets that do not require a wild-animal license: (1) birds; (2) domestic rodents (pet mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, and chinchillas); (3) fish; (4) non-venomous reptiles less than six feet in length; and (5) rabbits.
So a corn snake or a small lizard generally does not need a wild-animal license, while a large constrictor over six feet, a venomous reptile, or a wild mammal does. 062): they require a license and spay/neuter, and breeding them in a residential zone is prohibited. ' Many exotic species are also restricted or banned outright under California Fish and Game Code regulations, which apply statewide on top of the county license requirement.
Violations & Fines
Keeping a wild animal without the required license is a misdemeanor under County Code 10.28.060. Prohibited species may be seized, and state Fish and Wildlife restrictions can add separate penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for an exotic pet in Alhambra?
Can I keep a large snake or a wild mammal in Alhambra?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alhambra
California rules heatmap·Compare Alhambra to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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