Waukesha, WI Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned examples
- Wolves, big cats, primates, venomous snakes
- Exceptions
- Licensed pet shops, zoos, schools, permitted shows
- Also banned outright
- Horses, cows, bulls
- First-offense penalty
- $10 to $2,500 plus costs
- Governing section
- Waukesha Municipal Code § 33.01
Summary
Waukesha bans keeping poisonous or constrictor snakes, non-human primates, big cats, bears, wolves, coyotes, hyenas, alligators and other named wild or dangerous species as pets, with narrow exceptions for licensed pet shops, zoos, schools and permitted shows.
WILD AND EXOTIC ANIMALS PROHIBITED. No person shall keep, maintain or have in such person's possession or under such person's control any poisonous reptile, dangerous or wild animal or insect including, but not limited to, poisonous insects and arachnids, all poisonous snakes, constrictor snakes, non-human primates, bears, crocodiles, alligators, coyotes, elephants, gamecocks and other fighting birds, hippopotami, hyenas, jaguars, leopards, lions, lynx, pumas, cougars, mountain lions, panthers, ocelots, tigers or other wild feline species, and wolves.
Full Breakdown
01 flatly prohibits any person from keeping, maintaining or possessing a poisonous reptile, dangerous or wild animal or insect within the City. The section names the covered species specifically: poisonous insects and arachnids, all poisonous snakes, constrictor snakes, non-human primates, bears, crocodiles, alligators, coyotes, elephants, gamecocks and other fighting birds, hippopotami, hyenas, jaguars, leopards, lions, lynx, pumas, cougars, mountain lions, panthers, ocelots, tigers and other wild feline species, and wolves. 11(1), and even those exempt operators must still conform to Chapter 22 zoning for their location, keep animals and quarters clean and free of objectionable odors, and house animals in enclosures built to prevent escape.
The ban sits alongside a separate flat prohibition on keeping any horse, cow or bull anywhere in the City under the same section, and a four-animal cap combining cats, dogs, Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pigs and Nigerian Dwarf Goats per dwelling unit. Owners and keepers of any animal, including any permitted exception, must also comply with all other Waukesha zoning and property maintenance requirements and with applicable federal and state animal laws.
Violations & Fines
Keeping a prohibited wild or exotic animal without the required permit exception subjects the keeper to the penalties in Municipal Code §25.05: a first offense fine of $10 to $2,500 plus prosecution costs, and $100 to $5,000 for a subsequent offense, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. A permit holder under one of the named exceptions who violates §33.01 faces both permit revocation and the §25.05 penalty. Permit revocations may be appealed to the City Administrative Review Appeals Board under the procedure in §2.11(3).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I own a large snake or a monkey in Waukesha?
Are horses or cattle allowed within Waukesha city limits?
What are the exceptions to Waukesha's wild animal ban?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukesha
Compare Waukesha to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview
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