Avondale, AZ Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Avondale does not maintain its own exotic-pet list; restricted and exotic animals are controlled by the Arizona Game and Fish Department under A.R.S. 17-306 and Arizona Administrative Code R12-4-406 (Restricted Live Wildlife). That rule lists wildlife that may not be imported or possessed without a special license or a lawful exemption. Restricted mammals include all nonhuman primates, essentially all species of the order Carnivora (bears, foxes, raccoons, skunks, wolves, weasels - the family that includes ferrets), most Bovidae and Cervidae, bats, hedgehogs, opossums, wild rabbits, and all wild rodents; the rule also restricts many reptiles and other taxa. To lawfully possess restricted wildlife, a person generally must hold all applicable federal permits plus the appropriate Game & Fish special license, or qualify for an exemption (such as zoos, wildlife rehabilitation, or education). Common domestic pets - dogs, cats, domestic rabbits, most pet birds, and standard aquarium fish - are not restricted. Avondale's Animal Control Division enforces local animal-control and nuisance provisions in City Code Chapter 3, while possession of prohibited exotic wildlife is primarily a state Game & Fish enforcement matter. Anyone considering an unusual pet should verify its status with Arizona Game & Fish before acquiring it.