Story County, IA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

10 defines any animal that is not a domesticated pet or domesticated livestock as an exotic animal, and specifically classifies wolf/domestic-dog and coyote/domestic-dog hybrids as exotic. Subsection 2 bars anyone from owning, possessing, or having custody of a defined list of exotic species without a license from the Animal Control Department: venomous snakes, reptiles, scorpions, or insects; snakes eight feet or longer; reptiles three feet or longer in body length; big cats or wildcats and crosses of one-half or more; bears; wolves or coyotes and crosses of one-half or more; skunks; raccoons; foxes; weasels; mink; wolverines; otters; wild rodents; opossums; beavers; badgers; nonhuman primates or monkeys; and, at the ACO's discretion, other animals.

A person holding a valid Iowa Collector's Permit from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, with certification that the animal was born and kept continuously in captivity under applicable regulations, is exempt from the licensing requirement. 10(3), the required license is issued annually at the ACO's discretion after payment of a fee, set by Board of Supervisors resolution, and an inspection of the animal's housing facilities. 04, a simple misdemeanor.