Raleigh, NC Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Rescue Permits (2026)

Chapter 12, Article F, adopted by Ord. No. 2022-395 effective September 3, 2022, bars anyone from harboring, possessing, keeping, maintaining, releasing, transporting, or controlling a dangerous wild animal within the city under § 12-3075(a). Subsection (b) carves out five categories from that ban: AZA-accredited zoos, scientific research laboratories, veterinarians treating such animals, educational or scientific institutions doing educational or scientific work, and wildlife rehabilitators or others holding a proper State or Federal license or permit, along with Wildlife Resources Commission agents acting within their approved duties.

Every one of these exemptions is conditioned on the animals being maintained in a manner that also complies with other applicable State and Federal regulations, so a rehabilitator's city-level standing rises and falls with their state wildlife rehabilitation permit rather than any separate Raleigh license. The ordinance does not create its own wildlife-rescue permitting process; it simply recognizes the holder of a State or Federal permit as exempt from the dangerous-wild-animal prohibition. Anyone who keeps a dangerous wild animal without qualifying for an exemption faces impoundment by the Police Department's Animal Control Unit under § 12-3075(c) and a $500 per-animal civil penalty under § 12-3075(d), with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense; the same $500 per-animal penalty applies to violations of the § 12-3077 registration requirement that grandfathered owners must meet.