Colorado Springs, CO Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

A prohibits owning or keeping any animal inside Colorado Springs that is not commonly domesticated, not native to North America, or is wild or predatory by nature, unless the owner first obtains an exotic animal permit. B carves out birds, small rodents and small nonpoisonous reptiles up to six feet long kept for education or as pets, and exempts zoos, circuses and recognized research or teaching institutions entirely. 112 requires a completed application and a $75 fee, $5 of which is a nonrefundable application fee even if the City denies the request; the City may inspect the premises before deciding whether the animal will be treated humanely and will not endanger the neighborhood or create a nuisance, and an issued permit is valid for one year and must be renewed annually.

D allows an appeal to City Council within ten days and lets the owner keep the animal while the appeal is pending. A and can result in the animal being impounded until a valid permit is obtained; an impounded exotic animal not redeemed within ten days may be adopted, sold, donated to a zoo, or humanely destroyed.