Fulton County, GA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

This rule sits in Fulton County's rabies and animal control article (Code §§ 34-196--34-213), which under § 34-201(a) reaches the unincorporated area of the county and any municipality that has contracted with Fulton County for animal control services; cities that run their own animal control, including Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek and Milton, are not governed by it. Section 34-209 puts the compliance burden on the owner, custodian or harborer of any wildlife or exotic animal: they must obtain every state and/or federal permit the animal requires and meet every state and federal requirement for keeping it, rather than relying on any county-issued exotic-pet license.

The county backs that duty up in § 34-205(a), which bans letting any owned wildlife or exotic animal run at large in unincorporated Fulton County, an exception applies only to cats, and requires owners to carry their state and/or federal permits on their person whenever they transport the animal. A narrower, harder rule applies to two specific species: § 34-208 forbids purchasing, selling, owning, possessing or harboring any skunk, other than a pen-raised skunk, or any fox from any region, though skunks and foxes already possessed as of July 1, 1987 are grandfathered, and pen-raised, non-black-and-white skunks can still be kept as pets after the owner secures a Fulton County Animal Control permit.

Fulton County Animal Control and its designee enforce the article by impoundment and court citation under § 34-200, and cases are heard in the Fulton County Magistrate Courts or the court where the county has a services contract, per § 34-199.