Weld County, CO Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed only via
- Use by special review
- Approving body
- Board of County Commissioners
- Exotic animal
- Vertebrate, not livestock/pet
- Fish and amphibians
- Excluded from definition
- Also governed by
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife
Summary
In the Agricultural zone of unincorporated Weld County, keeping, raising or boarding exotic animals is allowed only as a "use by special review" approved by the Board of County Commissioners. An exotic animal is any vertebrate other than a fish, amphibian, defined livestock, or household pet.
EXOTIC ANIMAL: Any vertebrate animal except fishes and amphibians that is not defined herein as LIVESTOCK or HOUSEHOLD PET.
EXPANSION TO AN EXISTING MANUFACTURED HOME PARK OR SUBDIVISION: The preparation of additional sites by the construction of facilities for servicing the LOTS on which the MANUFACTURED HOMES are to be affixed (including, at a minimum, the installation of utilities, the construction of STREETS/ROADS and either final site grading or the pouring of concrete pads).
EXTRACTOR: Any individual, partnership, association or corporation which extracts COMMERCIAL MINERAL DEPOSITS for USE in the business of selling such deposits or for USE in another business owned by the EXTRACTOR or any department or division of federal, state, county or municipal government which extracts such deposits.
FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME: A facility for child care in a place of residence of a family or person for the purpose of providing less than twenty-four-hour care for children under the age of eighteen (18) years who are not related to the head of such home, as further defined in C.R.S. Section 26-6-102(13).
FARMING: Any or all of the following:
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Charter and County Code: Supplement 95).
Full Breakdown
Weld County Zoning Code Sec. 23-1-90 defines an "exotic animal" as any vertebrate animal except fishes and amphibians that is not defined as livestock or a household pet. In the A (Agricultural) Zone District, keeping, raising or boarding exotic animals is listed as a use by special review under Sec. 23-3-40 (outside subdivisions), Sec. 23-3-60 (in subdivisions) and Sec. 23-3-65 (historic townsites), meaning it requires Board of County Commissioners approval rather than being allowed by right. Colorado Parks and Wildlife possession and licensing rules apply on top of the county zoning rule, and residential and town zone districts generally do not permit exotic animals at all.
Violations & Fines
Keeping an exotic animal without special-review approval, or in a zone district where it is not permitted, is a zoning violation enforced by Weld County Planning Services; state wildlife-possession penalties may also apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep an exotic pet in Weld County?
What counts as an exotic animal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weld County
Compare Weld County to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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