Corvallis, OR Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned category
- Any wild animal (lion, wolf, primate, bear, etc.)
- Legal classification
- Automatically a 'dangerous animal'
- Penalty
- Class A Misdemeanor
- Default outcome
- Impoundment and euthanasia
- Rare exception
- Court-approved keeping with $300,000 bond
- Enforcing officer
- Corvallis Animal Control Officer
Summary
In the City of Corvallis, owning, keeping, harboring, or possessing a 'dangerous animal,' a category that by definition includes any wild animal such as a lion, wolf, bear, or primate, is outright illegal under Corvallis Municipal Code Section 5.03.050.060.02. A violation is a Class A Misdemeanor, and the animal is impounded and, absent a rare court-approved exception, euthanized.
1)No person shall own, keep, harbor, or possess any dangerous animal.2)The prohibition of this Section shall not apply to the temporary keeping of such animals by a licensed veterinarian for purposes of treatment of the animal or education of other persons; nor to the keeping or use of such animals by police or other law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes; nor to dangerous animals kept upon the express approval of the Court as provided in Section 5.03.050.060.03.3)A violation of this Section is a Class A Misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
Corvallis' Animal Control chapter treats exotic and dangerous wildlife as a flat prohibition rather than a permit system. Section 5.03.050.010(14) defines 'wild animal' to include poisonous snakes and reptiles that present a risk of serious injury or death, plus mammals such as lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and other big cats besides the domestic cat; wolves and other canines besides the domestic dog; monkeys, apes, gorillas, and other non-human primates; bears; and species like foxes, martens, minks, muskrats, otters, and raccoons. Section 5.03.050.010(4)(d) then folds any wild animal directly into the code's 'dangerous animal' category, alongside animals that have killed or seriously injured a person or another animal.
Section 5.03.050.060.02 makes the consequence explicit: no person shall own, keep, harbor, or possess any dangerous animal, and doing so is a Class A Misdemeanor. The only carve-outs are temporary keeping by a licensed veterinarian for treatment or education, use by police or other law enforcement agencies, and an animal the Municipal Court has expressly approved keeping under Section 5.03.050.060.03. Any dangerous animal that an officer encounters must be taken up and impounded under Section 5.03.050.070. At a Court hearing the owner bears the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the animal can be kept safely, including $300,000 in liability insurance or bond and secure, Animal Control Officer-approved confinement; absent that court approval, Section 5.03.050.060.03(3) requires the animal be euthanized. The Corvallis Police Department's Animal Control Officer investigates and impounds; cases are heard in Corvallis Municipal Court.
Violations & Fines
Owning, keeping, harboring, or possessing any dangerous animal, including any wild animal like a big cat, wolf, primate, or bear, is a Class A Misdemeanor under Section 5.03.050.060.02. The Animal Control Officer must impound the animal under Section 5.03.050.070, and unless the Municipal Court expressly approves continued keeping under strict bond and confinement conditions, Section 5.03.050.060.03 requires the animal be euthanized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I legally keep a pet wolf or big cat in Corvallis?
What happens to an illegally kept exotic animal in Corvallis?
Is there any exception to Corvallis' dangerous animal ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Corvallis
Compare Corvallis to another location·View the Oregon animal ordinances overview
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