Alhambra, CA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Exotic-pet rules in Alhambra come from Los Angeles County Code Title 10, adopted by reference under Municipal Code Chapter 7.04. County Code Section 10.08.250 defines a 'wild animal' as a nondomestic, exotic, or dangerous animal, including wild/domestic animal hybrids, other mammals, wildfowl, fish, and reptiles. Section 10.28.060 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. Pygmy pigs have their own provisions (County Code 10.28.061-10.28.062): they require a license and spay/neuter, and breeding them in a residential zone is prohibited. Separately, the City of Alhambra's own animal page states that 'wild animals and hogs are NOT allowed or permitted as pets.' 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.