Hanover County, VA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Hanover County Code section 4-80(a) makes it unlawful to keep or permit to be kept any wild, exotic or vicious animal on a person's premises without first obtaining a permit from the county. Applications go to the chief animal control officer, who can issue or deny permits for wild or exotic animals with the concurrence of a supervising officer; a denial can be appealed to the board of supervisors. Permits for vicious animals are decided by the board of supervisors itself, only after advertising and holding a public hearing, for which the applicant must post a sign on the property for at least two weeks and mail notice to every adjacent property owner.

To win approval under section 4-80(c), the applicant must show the animal will be securely enclosed at all times in a manner appropriate to its character, given proper habitat, food and care, that keeping it fits the character of the neighborhood, and that any required federal or state permits have been obtained. Vicious animal owners must also consent to inspections every six months, wild and exotic animal owners every twelve months, and carry a $100,000 surety bond or liability policy. Vicious animal applications carry a $300 fee.

Permits are nontransferable, list the animal by species and quantity, and can be revoked after notice and a hearing for noncompliance, false statements, or violating other animal laws. Section 4-80(f) separately bans letting a permitted wild, exotic or vicious animal run at large; the animal control officer may seize or destroy an animal found loose if necessary for public safety.