A Wild Animal as a Pet
Iowa Code § 717F.3 — no big cats, bears, wolves, primates, crocodilians or venomous snakes
No one may own, possess, breed or bring into the state a dangerous wild animal. The list includes wolves, coyotes and jackals, hyenas, wild cats from lions to servals, bears, rhinoceroses, elephants, monkeys, lemurs and apes, alligators and crocodiles, water and crocodile monitors, gila monsters, and venomous snakes such as cobras and rattlesnakes.
Who handles this in Iowa: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Iowa directory.
Animals kept on July 1, 2007 could stay. Someone who owned one on July 1, 2007 may keep it if they are eighteen or older, have no animal abuse conviction and no felony or drug conviction in the last ten years, and had an identification chip implanted within sixty days, along with the chapter's other conditions.
Intentionally causing a dangerous wild animal to escape is an aggravated misdemeanor. Whether a particular animal is covered is a question for a licensed Iowa attorney.
Sources for this section (4)
- Iowa Code § 717F.3 — Dangerous wild animals — prohibitions
- Iowa Code § 717F.1 — Definitions
- Iowa Code § 717F.4 — Owning or possessing dangerous wild animals on July 1, 2007
- Iowa Code § 717F.13 — Criminal penalties
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Iowa attorney.