Gaithersburg, MD Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Montgomery County Code Chapter 5 (Section 5-202) establishes a comprehensive prohibition on the possession of wild or exotic animals deemed dangerous within county limits, which applies throughout Gaithersburg. The prohibited list includes but is not limited to large cats (lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, cheetahs), bears of any species, wolves, wolf-dog hybrids above a certain percentage, coyotes, venomous snakes and lizards, alligators, crocodiles, caimans, non-human primates (monkeys, apes, lemurs), and any other animal that poses an inherent danger to human safety. The prohibition extends to both ownership and harboring -- meaning you cannot keep a dangerous animal at your residence even if it belongs to someone else. Exotic birds such as parrots, macaws, and cockatoos may be kept as household pets, but aviaries housing multiple exotic birds must be located at least 100 feet from any other person's dwelling or workplace to minimize noise and odor impacts on neighbors. Maryland Natural Resources Article 10-901 through 10-905 provides the state-level framework for regulating non-native wildlife. Certain species require a permit from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources before they can be imported, possessed, or bred within the state. The DNR maintains a list of regulated species and issues permits based on the applicant's qualifications, housing conditions, and the potential impact on native wildlife. Ferrets are fully legal in Maryland and Montgomery County and are not classified as dangerous wild animals under Chapter 5. Other commonly kept exotic pets that are generally permitted without special licensing include non-venomous reptiles (ball pythons, corn snakes, bearded dragons, leopard geckos), small rodents (hedgehogs, chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters, sugar gliders), tropical and marine fish, hermit crabs, and non-venomous amphibians (frogs, salamanders, axolotls). Violations of the dangerous animal prohibition trigger enforcement by Montgomery County Animal Services, which has authority to seize the animal immediately if it poses an imminent threat to public safety. Even without an imminent threat, officers may issue civil citations and require the owner to surrender or relocate the animal within a specified timeframe. Any animal that bites or injures a person must be reported to Animal Services and may be subject to a mandatory 10-day quarantine under county and state health regulations, regardless of species.