Apex, NC Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Exotic or venomous animals. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, breed, sell, maintain, possess or have under that person's control any exotic animal, or any venomous animal that is non-native to North Carolina, within the town's corporate limits. Exotic animal is defined as any dangerous animal which is not usually and customarily kept as a pet or domestic animal and includes, but is not limited to, lions, tigers, wild cats, bears, wolves, monkeys, apes, gorillas, alligators, crocodiles, or any animal for which a federal or state permit or license is required to own or possess.(d)Exceptions. Subsection (c) of this section shall not apply to lawfully operated and located pet shops, scientific research laboratories, licensed zoological establishments, veterinarians temporarily harboring the animals for the purposes of providing professional medical treatment, properly permitted wildlife rehabilitators, and exhibitors licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture displaying the animals for educational purposes, provided the animals are housed in a manner so as to prevent escape.(e)A violation of this section is punishable as a misdemeanor as provided by G.S. 14-4. (Ord. No. 2007-0403-05, § 1, 4-3-07; Ord. No. 2007-0515-07, § 1, 5-15-07; Ord. No. 2018-0417-18, § 1, 4-17-2018; Ord. No. 2020-1020-34, § 1, 10-20-2020; Ord. No. 2021-0824-30, § 1, 8-24-2021; Ord. No. 2021-1123-40, § 5, 11-23-2021)