Virginia Beach, VA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Exotic pet regulations in Virginia Beach are layered across city code and Virginia state law, with state law providing the primary restrictions. Virginia Code §3.2-6571 (Dangerous Captive Animals) and §29.1-521 (wildlife possession) prohibit or restrict: large cats (lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, cheetahs), bears, nonhuman primates (monkeys, chimps, apes), wolves and wolf-dog hybrids (though wolf-hybrids are in a legal gray zone), crocodilians (alligators, crocodiles, caimans), venomous snakes, large constrictors (anacondas, reticulated pythons over specified sizes), and most native Virginia wildlife. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) regulates native wildlife under 4VAC15-30 and requires permits for possession of native species. Legal small exotic pets in Virginia Beach include: ferrets (must be rabies vaccinated), hedgehogs, sugar gliders, chinchillas, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice, most captive-bred parrots and finches, non-venomous snakes (corn snakes, ball pythons, kingsnakes), bearded dragons, leopard geckos, most tortoises (not native species), tropical fish, and aquatic invertebrates. Prohibited or restricted species also include: raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, squirrels, opossums, deer, and other native Virginia wildlife without DWR permits. Importing raccoons and skunks is prohibited under VA Code §29.1-542 due to rabies concerns. Ferrets and domestic rabbits are regulated under city animal code Chapter 5 and must receive humane care. Turtles sold as pets must have shells over 4 inches under FDA regulations. Exotic pet owners should verify legality before purchase — retailers sometimes sell species prohibited under Virginia law. Animal Control at (757) 385-4444 and DWR Conservation Police enforce restrictions; illegal wildlife is typically seized and may be euthanized or transferred to licensed facilities. Zoos, educational exhibitors, and licensed rehabilitators operate under separate federal USDA and state permits. Found injured native wildlife should be reported to DWR or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator — possession without a permit, even to care for an injured animal, is illegal.