Hemet has no separate exotic-pet ordinance; through HMC Sec. 10-1 it adopts Riverside County Ordinance 630. The binding restriction is California state law - 14 CCR Sec. 671 - which bars private possession of most wild/exotic species (including ferrets) without a state permit.
Hemet does not maintain its own list of prohibited exotic animals. Hemet Municipal Code Sec. 10-1 adopts Riverside County Title 6 (Ordinance 630), and Sec. 90-77 of Hemet's zoning code addresses only conventional and small domesticated animals. The controlling rule for exotic species is therefore California state law. California Code of Regulations Title 14, Sec. 671, administered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), classifies hundreds of non-domesticated species as "restricted" and makes it unlawful to import, transport, or possess them without a Restricted Species Permit. CDFW does not issue those permits for ordinary pet ownership - they are limited to research, public exhibition, education, or shelter. Animals barred as pets statewide include ferrets, most monkeys and primates, many wild cats, hedgehogs, and many reptiles and exotic mammals. Hemet's own Sec. 90-77 matrix does allow certain small companion animals as "small animals" (chinchillas, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, mice, rabbits, and non-venomous reptiles), generally up to 10 in residential zones with a 10-foot setback for any pen. Venomous reptiles and true exotic/wild species remain governed - and largely prohibited - by the state restricted-species list, not by a Hemet ordinance.
Illegal possession of a restricted species is enforced by CDFW and can result in seizure of the animal, fines, and misdemeanor charges under the Fish and Game Code. Locally, keeping a prohibited or nuisance animal can also draw code-enforcement action under Sec. 90-77's nuisance and public-safety provisions.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Riverside County.
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See how Hemet's exotic pets rules stack up against other locations.
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