RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond City Council has approved a ban on owning an exotic or wild animal as a pet in the city.
The ban prohibits residents from keeping monkeys, raccoons, opossums, skunks, squirrels, wolves, coyotes, foxes, leopards, panthers, tigers, lions, lynx, bobcats, bears or any other warm-blooded animal which can normally be found in the wild.
Venomous or poisonous reptiles and amphibians or any member of the crocodile family are also banned.
Ferrets, rabbits, chinchillas, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice and rats that have been in captivity and have never known the wild, as well as domestically bred or legally imported birds, non-venomous reptiles, amphibians and fish will not be considered “exotic or wild animals," according to the ordinance.
The ordinance passed during the council's meeting Monday night in City Hall.
