Sterling Heights, MI Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned
- Apes, big cats, venomous reptiles
- Also banned
- Wolves, alligators, sharks, elephants
- Grace period
- 30 days to remove existing animals
- Exempt
- Accredited zoos, licensed stables
Summary
Sterling Heights outlaws owning, breeding, or selling exotic or wild animals, including big cats, primates, venomous reptiles, and alligators, under City Code § 8-23.
(A) EXOTIC ANIMAL means those animals that are not domestic or any cross of those animals not domestic to North America... it shall be unlawful for a person to possess, breed, exchange, buy or sell, or attempt any of those actions, or harbor the following exotic or wild animals: (1) Apes, monkeys, and related forms...; (4) Cats from the wild family, including...bobcats, cheetahs, cougars, jaguars, leopards, lions, lynxes, mountain lions, panthers, pumas, tigers; ... (10) Elephants;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-46: Local legislation current through Ord. 509, passed 5-19-26).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 8-23(A) makes it unlawful in Sterling Heights, Macomb County, to possess, breed, exchange, buy, sell, or harbor a list of exotic or wild animals, including apes and monkeys, poisonous reptiles and spiders, all constrictor snakes, wild cats such as lions, tigers, and cougars, wolves and other non-domesticated carnivores, crocodilians, piranhas, sharks, ostriches and other ratites, elephants, rhinoceros and other odd-toed hooved mammals, camels and other even-toed hooved mammals, iguanas and other reptiles, and hedgehogs. Anyone who owned such an animal before the ordinance took effect had 30 days to remove it from the city. Accredited zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, circuses, research facilities, and licensed stables are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Possessing, breeding, or selling a listed exotic or wild animal is a Chapter 8 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of at least $500, plus mandatory removal of the animal from the city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a pet monkey or big cat in Sterling Heights?
Are exotic reptiles like pythons or iguanas legal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sterling Heights
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Exotic Pets in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle exotic pets.