Owning a dangerous wild animal, a lion, tiger, bear, cougar, and similar species, requires a state certificate of registration in Texas. Without it, possession is illegal. Williamson County, through its animal registration agency, controls whether these animals can be kept.
Health and Safety Code Section 822.103 makes it unlawful to own, harbor, or control a dangerous wild animal unless the person holds a certificate of registration issued by the local animal registration agency. The statute's list covers lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, bobcats, servals, bears, coyotes, baboons, chimpanzees, gorillas, and hybrids of them. The owner must also carry liability insurance and meet caging standards. Common exotic pets outside that list, such as most reptiles, birds, ferrets, and small mammals, are not covered, though Parks and Wildlife rules separately govern certain venomous and constricting snakes.
Keeping a listed dangerous wild animal without a current certificate of registration is a Class C misdemeanor, charged per animal and per day, and the animal can be seized and impounded at the owner's expense.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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