Keeping an exotic animal in unincorporated Washoe County requires a permit from the animal control board, with approved enclosure drawings and an inspection. Keeping high-risk rabies vectors like bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes or coyotes is outright prohibited.
Washoe County Code 55.650 makes it unlawful to keep any exotic animal without a permit approved by the animal control board; the application must specify the animal and include construction drawings of the enclosure required by WCC 55.680-55.720, followed by an officer inspection. WCC 55.645 separately bans keeping, harboring or feeding bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes 'or any other high-risk transmitters of rabies,' with mandatory relinquishment to the rabies-control authority or Nevada Division of Wildlife on request. Nevada also restricts certain species statewide under NRS 503/504 wildlife rules.
Keeping an exotic animal without a permit, or harboring a prohibited high-risk rabies vector, is a code violation; the animal may be impounded or ordered relinquished. Permits may be suspended or revoked for enclosure or care failures.
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