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

Chatham County Code §22-201 defines an exotic animal as any vertebrate ordinarily confined to a zoo or normally found in the wild: including carnivorous wildlife, monkeys, raccoons, ocelots, wolves and wolf hybrids, and mammals or non-venomous reptiles over 50 pounds. Under §22-105(b), 'All complaints and matters concerning animals not of a domestic nature or exotic pets and complaints involving game animals or protected species and/or hunting shall be forwarded to the State Department of Natural Resources, Game and Fish Division or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.' Possessing many exotic species also requires a Georgia DNR wild-animal license or permit, which the state denies for most inherently dangerous species.