Arvada, CO Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Section 14-91(a) of the Arvada City Code lists eight categories of animals no one may "own, have custody of, sell, or in any other manner traffic in" within the city: all poisonous reptiles, venomous and poisonous snakes, and any snake longer than six feet; nonhuman primates; any feline species other than an ordinary domesticated house cat; bears of any species; all crocodilians; raccoons, porcupines, skunks, badgers, or similar species; foxes, wolves, coyotes, or canine species other than dogs; and, as a catch-all, any other wild animal or wildlife not indigenous to Colorado or not classified as a pet or domesticated animal.

" Subsection (c) carves out two narrow exceptions: a wildlife rehabilitator, falconer, or scientific collection permit holder currently licensed by the Colorado Division of Wildlife who complies with the city's Code and zoning ordinances, and a state-licensed veterinary hospital that complies with the same Code and zoning requirements. Outside those two carve-outs, the ban is absolute regardless of how the animal was acquired or how tame it has become, and it applies on top of, not instead of, the state wildlife statutes cited at the top of Chapter 14.