Seminole County, FL Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

01 defines dangerous animal as all non-domesticated animals which, by reason of their wild nature, training, venomous characteristics, size or other attributes, pose a special hazard to humans or other animals, listing bears, lions, leopards, cheetahs, venomous reptiles, constricting reptiles, piranha, sharks, venomous insects and spiders, alligators, crocodiles, tigers, eagles, hawks, simians, large primates and elephants as examples. A separate, narrower definition of wild or exotic animal lists specific scientific classifications, including Felidae such as tigers, lions, jaguars, leopards, cheetahs and cougars but excluding domestic cats, Ursidae or bears, non-human primates, Crocodilia, Elephantidae, Pinnipedia and certain sharks.

23(a) requires the owner of any dangerous animal to confine it in a building, cage or other secure enclosure, and bars removing it from that enclosure unless it is securely leashed, tethered, chained, muzzled, anesthetized or otherwise restrained to protect people and other animals; wild or exotic animals classified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as requiring a specific pen must be caged to the Commission's specifications. Law enforcement and rescue animals working an active operation are exempt. 16(b) separately bars anyone who houses or displays a wild or exotic animal from using a bullhook, ankus, whip, electrical prod, pipe or similar device capable of inflicting pain to train or control it.

Seminole County does not operate a general possession permit system for exotic pets; confinement, not licensing, is the enforcement lever, and state wildlife law under the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission governs which species may be kept at all.