Placentia, CA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Chapter 9.20 of the Placentia Municipal Code, titled Wild Animals, bans keeping them inside city limits. Section 9.20.020 makes it unlawful to keep or maintain, or cause to be kept or maintained, within the City of Placentia any wild animal except those enumerated in § 9.20.010 and as otherwise authorized by the code. Three locations are exempt: zoos or museums that keep wild animals confined for the public to view, bona fide licensed veterinary hospitals for treatment, and bona fide educational institutions for instruction, provided the animals are securely confined and properly cared for in a manner satisfactory to Orange County Animal Control services.

The definition in § 9.20.010 decides which pets are covered. A wild animal is any non-domesticated species of animal, reptile, fowl or fish that is not tame or gentle as found in nature but is of a wild nature or disposition, is known to be vicious, or must be kept in confinement to be brought within the immediate power of the owner. The definition excludes any bird life except as otherwise provided by law, any hamster, guinea pig, white rats and mice, any nonpoisonous snake not exceeding six feet in length, any turtle, nonpoisonous toads, lizards, salamanders, newts, chameleons, kangaroo rats, and any fish except piranha and walking catfish. Piranha and walking catfish are therefore named as covered, and a snake outside the nonpoisonous six-foot exclusion is not protected by it.

The chapter was amended by Ordinance O-2023-01 on April 18, 2023. Section 9.20.030 separately bars hunting, killing, wounding, feeding, touching, teasing, frightening or intentionally disturbing wild animals in any park, sports field, recreational area or open space, except persons in the performance of official duties. Ordinary domestic animals fall under Chapter 9.08, and Chapter 9.04 adopts the Orange County animal control ordinance by reference.