Guilford County, NC Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Sec. 5-25 flatly prohibits keeping any "dangerous wild animal" on a person's premises, exempting only zoological parks, performing-animal exhibitions and circuses. Sec. 5-26 covers the wider category of "exotic animal": it is unlawful to own or shelter one without a county permit that identifies the species and may include care and sheltering restrictions, and the county may charge a fee for that permit. Critically, Sec. 5-26 states that any exotic animal that also meets the Sec. 5-25 definition of a dangerous wild animal "shall not be permitted" at all, so the permit route is closed for the most dangerous species; only the lighter category of exotic pets can be licensed.

Chapter 5's definitions in Sec. 5-1 define "exotic or wild animal" broadly, covering anything ordinarily confined to a zoo, ordinarily found in the wild, not indigenous to North America, or otherwise likely to cause a reasonable person fear of property destruction or bodily harm, expressly including monkeys, raccoons, squirrels and venomous reptiles, and further defined as non-domesticated mammals or non-venomous reptiles over 20 pounds at maturity. The definition specifically excludes species customarily kept as household pets or domestic farm animals in the state, aquarium fish other than piranha, birds, and insects.

Zoos, authorized habitats and animal refuge centers are exempt from the Sec. 5-26 permit requirement, and Sec. 5-11 imposes a related but separate ban on "inherently dangerous mammals" (non-domestic canids, cats over 15 pounds, and bears), with a narrow grandfather exemption for animals registered with animal control before June 3, 1990.