Gulfport, MS Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Section 7-80 draws its line at species indigenous to the southeastern United States as defined by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks: no person may keep, harbor or possess any wild animal, reptile or wild fowl in that category anywhere within the city. A second, broader prohibition in the same section reaches road-side zoos and pet stores, barring them from keeping or displaying any wild or vicious animal for exhibition, whether free or for a fee, unless the operator is a federal, state, county or municipal law enforcement agency using the animal for public education, or a private individual holding a federal or Mississippi state permit for that specific animal.

Enforcement runs through the city's animal officer, who is granted express authority to seize any wild animal, reptile or wild fowl indigenous to the southeastern United States kept in violation of the section or of state or federal statutes. Seized animals go to the Department of Wildlife Conservation, though the animal officer has discretion to instead give the owner twenty-four hours to remove the animal from city limits to a lawful location if doing so will not endanger public health, safety or welfare. This provision was adopted by Ordinance No. 2185, Section 14, on July 20, 1999, the same ordinance that set the fowl-keeping limits at Section 7-78.