Avondale, AZ Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Section 3-1, in Chapter 3's Article I (In General), is the city's baseline control on dangerous and wild-by-nature animals. It makes it unlawful for anyone to permit a dangerous or vicious animal of any kind to run at large, and any such animal found loose is impounded immediately by the police department. Separately, anyone wanting to exhibit or parade an animal that is 'ferae naturae in the eyes of the law' (legally wild by nature, the traditional common-law category covering non-domesticated species) must first secure a permit from the chief of police, who must issue it if the activity will not endanger public health or safety.

This is the operative city rule touching exotic or wild-animal ownership: it does not license private possession, but it controls public display and requires containment. Small domestic pets, including dogs, cats, potbellied pigs, parrots, canaries and parakeets, are expressly carved out of the broader livestock/fowl article at § 3-16, underscoring that § 3-1 targets non-domesticated, dangerous species rather than ordinary household animals. Members of the police department are separately authorized under § 3-1(b) to kill any dangerous animal when necessary for the protection of a person or property, without waiting for an impoundment. Any failure to comply with this chapter's requirements is a misdemeanor under § 3-27.