Oldham County, KY Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Oldham County Code Section 90.50, Restrictions, makes it unlawful for any person, partnership, or corporation to keep, maintain, or have in their possession or control within the county any poisonous reptile, or any other animal of a species not ordinarily domesticated that is carnivorous in the wild and capable of inflicting serious physical harm or death; any wildlife hybrid of such an animal that cannot be considered domesticated under Section 90.01's definitions; or a non-carnivorous species not ordinarily domesticated that is still capable of inflicting serious harm or death.

The section names examples: bears, lions, tigers, leopards, wolves, wolf-dog hybrids, dog-coyote hybrids, domesticated cat-feral cat hybrids, wolverines, badgers, elephants, and rhinoceroses. Section 90.51 sets the enforcement path: on a written complaint that someone owns a poisonous reptile or dangerous animal, the Chief of the county police investigates, and if the complaint is confirmed, delivers written notice giving the owner 72 hours to remove the animal from the county. Notice is skipped if the animal has already injured someone or has escaped and is at large, in which case police may seize and impound the animal immediately, or kill it if seizure requires it.

Section 90.52 authorizes the Chief of Police to seize and impound any such animal once an owner fails to comply with the 72-hour notice, and violations of Section 90.50 carry the penalty in Section 90.99.