A Wild Animal as a Pet
Md. Code, Crim. Law § 10-621 — foxes, raccoons, big cats, wolves, primates and venomous snakes
No one may import into the state, sell, trade, possess, breed or exchange a live animal on this list:
- A fox, skunk, raccoon or bear.
- A caiman, alligator or crocodile.
- Any member of the cat family other than the domestic cat, and a domestic cat hybrid over 30 pounds.
- Any member of the dog family other than the domestic dog, and any hybrid with a domestic dog.
- Any nonhuman primate, lemurs, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, marmosets, lorises and tamarins included.
- Venomous snakes of the families the section names.
Who handles this in Maryland: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Maryland directory.
Someone who lawfully had one by May 31, 2006, and notified local animal control as the section required, may keep it. A violation is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000 for an individual.
Zoos, research facilities and the other exceptions the section lists are not set out here. Whether a particular animal can be kept is a question for local animal control or a licensed Maryland attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Md. Code, Crim. Law § 10-621 — Importation, sale and possession of dangerous animals
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maryland attorney.