Chattanooga, TN Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

" The chapter's definition section, § 7-2, spells out what qualifies: every animal classified as a Class I animal under Tennessee Code Annotated § 70-4-403 and its implementing regulations, any wolf-hybrid, and five named non-venomous snake species once they reach six feet in length, the reticulated python, Burmese python, African rock python, common boa and green anaconda. A separate posting duty applies to sellers: § 7-116 requires anyone offering an exotic animal for sale to conspicuously post a notice at the point of sale warning that no exotic animal, defined by example to include monkeys, raccoons, skunks, wolves, foxes, big cats, bears, deer, poisonous snakes and crocodilians, may lawfully be kept within Chattanooga's corporate limits.

Section 7-117 carves out four exceptions to the keeping prohibition: an American Association of Zoological Parks-accredited zoo, a state-licensed veterinary establishment, laboratory facilities owned and maintained by licensed veterinary hospitals, and accredited colleges, universities or other institutions of higher learning that keep such animals for educational or scientific purposes. Enforcement draws on chapter-wide tools rather than an exotic-animal-specific process: § 7-80 authorizes an Animal Services Officer or law enforcement officer to seize and impound any animal kept in violation of Chapter 7, with the owner on the hook for all impoundment expenses, and the chapter's general penalty at § 7-142 lets the city impose a civil penalty or fine of up to $50 for each violation.