Madera, CA Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Rescue Permits (2026)

32 pairs its exotic-pet rules with a specific filing duty for wildlife rescue operators: any person operating a wildlife rescue program within Madera city limits must file copies of the applicable permits they already hold from state and federal agencies with the city's Abatement and Compliance Division. Subsection (B) extends that filing duty to any exotic pet or wildlife animal that requires special state or federal permits, whether or not it's tied to a formal rescue program; the owner must file those permits with the city and pay applicable fees.

Beyond the paperwork, the city can require its own local permit before the animal may be kept within Madera, and before that local permit issues, the housing for the animal is subject to inspection and approval by the Animal Control Officer. An animal covered by the section that escapes becomes subject to obtaining that local keeping permit even if it wasn't required before, tying an escape directly to a new compliance obligation rather than just a fee. The section doesn't set a cap on how many rescued animals a permitted operator may house, but every animal still falls under the escape-prevention housing standard in subsection (A) and the fee liability if Animal Control has to respond to a loose animal.