Vallejo, CA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Wild animals
- Keeping prohibited outright, § 7.24.040(B)
- Exotic animal defined
- Wild animal kept as pet or display, § 7.08.095
- Exotic registration
- Required if state license required, § 7.12.140
- Dangerous animal defined
- Wild, exotic, or venomous animal, § 7.08.065
- Enforced by
- Solano County Sheriff's Animal Control Division
Summary
Vallejo outlaws keeping wild animals outright under Section 7.24.040, while a separate, narrower category, 'exotic animals' kept as pets or for display, must be registered with the animal control director under Section 7.12.140 if state law already requires them to carry a state license. The two rules work together: truly wild animals can't be kept at all, and licensed exotics need a city registration on top of their state paperwork.
A.The keeping of livestock, including bovines, horses, mules or burros within city limit is prohibited, except as provided in Section 7.24.055.B.The keeping of wild animals is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Update 12 - 25).
Full Breakdown
040(B) is a flat ban: the keeping of wild animals is prohibited, with no permit path or exception listed in the section itself. 040 ban. 140 requires registration with the city's animal control director: all exotic animals required to have a state license shall be registered with the animal control director, on forms giving the owner's name, address and phone number and a description of the animal, with any registration fee set by council resolution. 065, covers any wild, exotic or venomous animal or other animal which, because of its size, disposition or other characteristic, would constitute a danger to persons or property, and that classification feeds into the code's nuisance-abatement tools elsewhere in Title 7. 070 to check on an animal reported to be wild, exotic, or dangerous.
Violations & Fines
Keeping a wild animal is a straight violation of Section 7.24.040 with no state-license carve-out; an exotic animal that does carry a required state license but isn't registered with Vallejo's animal control director under Section 7.12.140 is a separate violation of the registration duty. Animal control officers can enter the property under Section 7.12.070 to investigate, and any animal seized under either section is handled through the same impoundment and disposal process the code sets out in Chapter 7.16.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a wild animal as a pet in Vallejo?
What counts as an 'exotic animal' under Vallejo's code?
How do I register an exotic animal with the city?
What's the difference between a 'dangerous animal' and an 'exotic animal' in Vallejo?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Vallejo
California rules heatmap·Compare Vallejo to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Exotic Pets in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle exotic pets.