Palm Springs, CA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

California has one of the strictest exotic-pet regimes in the United States, and Palm Springs enforces it. Under California Fish and Game Code §2118 and California Code of Regulations Title 14 §671, private individuals may not possess as pets: all non-human primates; large cats (lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars); all wolves and wolf hybrids; bears; elephants; crocodilians; venomous reptiles including most venomous snakes (limited zoo/educational permits exist); most native California wildlife (raccoons, skunks, squirrels, coyotes, deer); ferrets; sugar gliders; hedgehogs; prairie dogs; and many exotic reptiles and birds. Legal pets generally include domestic dogs and cats, common domesticated rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, chinchillas, most parrots and domestic birds (not wild-caught), aquarium fish, and common non-venomous reptiles (ball pythons, corn snakes, bearded dragons, leopard geckos) and amphibians specifically listed as exempt. Exotic-looking but legal: servals are illegal; Bengal cats (F5 generation and later, after 5 generations from an Asian Leopard Cat) are legal under specific conditions. Violations under Fish and Game Code can carry fines up to $10,000 and criminal penalties, and the animal is typically seized and may be euthanized if no accredited sanctuary is available. Palm Springs residents moving from states with more permissive exotic-pet laws should confirm legality before relocating; ferrets that are legal in Nevada or Arizona become illegal upon entering California. Service animals, educational permits, and USDA-licensed exhibitors operate under separate rules.