Charles County, MD Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing definition
- § 230-2 "Dangerous Animal"
- State statute incorporated
- Md. Crim. Law § 10-621(b)
- Banned examples
- Bears, big cats, primates, venomous snakes
- Shelter adoption
- Wild animals never placed for adoption
- Enforcement
- Seizure plus possible state prosecution
Summary
Charles County adopts Maryland's statewide ban on keeping dangerous wild animals as pets: foxes, skunks, raccoons, bears, big cats, wild canids, hybrid crosses, primates and venomous snakes may not be imported, sold, bred, traded or possessed in the county, and no shelter may place a wild animal for adoption.
DANGEROUS ANIMAL As defined under § 230-12.5, and as listed in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Criminal Law § 10-621(b), prohibited: a person may not import into the state or Charles County, offer for sale, trade, barter, possess, breed, or exchange a live: A. Fox, skunk, raccoon or bear; B. Caiman, alligator or crocodile; C. Member of the cat family other than the domestic cat; D. Hybrid of a member of the cat family and a domestic cat if the hybrid weighs over 30 pounds; E. Member of the dog family other than the domestic dog; F. Hybrid of a member of the dog family and a domestic dog; G. Nonhuman primate, including lemur, monkey, chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, marmoset, loris or tamarin; or H. Poisonous snake in the family groups hydrophidae, elapidae, viperidae or crotolidae.
Full Breakdown
Charles County Code § 230-2 defines "dangerous animal" by incorporating the state's own prohibited-species list, the Annotated Code of Maryland, Criminal Law § 10-621(b). § 230-2 separately defines "wild animal" as any animal incapable of complete domestication that remains dangerous to the public even if trained, including any hybrid or crossbred animal that is part exotic or wild, and singles out "wolf hybrids" for the same treatment. 6(K) states flatly that "no wild animal may be placed for adoption," so even an animal surrendered to the Tri-County Animal Shelter cannot be rehomed as a pet within the county.
Violations & Fines
Possessing a prohibited wild or dangerous animal violates the § 230-2 dangerous-animal standard, enforced by an Animal Control Officer the same way as any other dangerous-animal case: seizure of the animal and a citation requiring the owner to appear before the Animal Matters Hearing Board. Because the underlying prohibition is also a state Criminal Law violation under § 10-621(b), Charles County can refer the matter to the State's Attorney for prosecution in the District Court of Maryland for Charles County in addition to any County fine and impoundment costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a pet fox, raccoon or wolf hybrid in Charles County?
Are big cat hybrids like savannah cats allowed?
Can I adopt a wild animal from the county shelter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charles County
Compare Charles County to another location·View the Maryland animal ordinances overview
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