Redlands, CA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Exotic and wild animals face overlapping city, zoning, and state restrictions in Redlands. Under Redlands Municipal Code section 6.24.010, it is unlawful to keep livestock, fowl, or any other nondomestic animal within the city without first obtaining a permit from the animal control bureau or chief of police. Even in the city's most permissive animal zone, the R-R-A Rural Residential Animals District (Chapter 18.29), the code states that no lion, tiger, bear, wolf, cougar, or any other wild undomesticated animal is permitted. Above the city rules sits California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 671, the Department of Fish and Wildlife restricted-species list, which prohibits importing, transporting, or possessing hundreds of species (including most wild carnivores, primates, and even ferrets) without a state permit; such permits are generally not issued for keeping these animals as private pets. The practical effect is that big cats, bears, wolves, monkeys, ferrets, and similar exotics cannot be kept as household pets in Redlands. Anyone considering an unusual animal should confirm both whether the species is allowed under state restricted-species rules and whether a city nondomestic-animal permit under 6.24.010 is required.