New Braunfels, TX Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- No wild/vicious animals as pets
- Exception
- State Parks & Wildlife license
- Fine range
- $25 to $2,000 per day
- Covers
- Poisonous or dangerous reptiles
- Citation
- City Code § 6-78
Summary
New Braunfels bans keeping wild or vicious animals, including poisonous or dangerous reptiles, as household pets unless state-licensed.
No person shall own, possess, or have custody of on his premises any wild or vicious animal, including a reptile, for display, training, or exhibition purposes, whether gratuitously or for a fee... No person shall keep or permit to be kept any wild animal, including a poisonous or otherwise dangerous reptile, as a pet, unless licensed to do so by the state parks and wildlife department.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 36).
Full Breakdown
City code bars owning, possessing, or having custody of any wild or vicious animal, including a reptile, for display, training, or exhibition on your premises, gratuitously or for a fee, with exceptions only for zoological parks, performing-animal exhibitions, circuses, or veterinary hospitals. Separately, keeping any wild animal, including a poisonous or otherwise dangerous reptile, as a pet is barred unless the owner is licensed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. "Wild animal" covers any animal outside the common domestic species (dogs, cats, horses, cattle, swine, sheep, goats), regardless of how long it has been kept in captivity.
Violations & Fines
Violating this chapter is a misdemeanor, fined $25 to $2,000 per day, with repeat convictions within 12 months doubling the applicable minimum fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a venomous snake as a pet in New Braunfels?
Does the wild-animal ban apply to zoos or circuses?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Braunfels
Texas rules heatmap·Compare New Braunfels to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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