Chapter 2 of the Arlington County Code prohibits residents from keeping wild and exotic animals as pets. The County Board adopted this rule in 2017.
The amendment created a registry that allowed residents who already owned wild or exotic animals in Arlington at the time of the change to legally keep them. The ban does not include non-venomous snakes; however, care, handling, and enclosure standards apply to non-venomous snakes weighing more than 25 pounds (see §2‑19, Keeping and Handling of Reptiles and Snakes). Venomous reptiles remain prohibited.
By adopting this amendment, Arlington placed existing state law into the County Code. This change allows County animal control officers to enforce provisions that were previously handled only at the state level and aligns Arlington’s regulations with neighboring jurisdictions.
The Board voted unanimously to amend the Code. Read the staff report or view the archived meeting video.
The following animals are prohibited as pets in Arlington County:
Mammals
Birds
- Ratites (flightless birds), such as emus, ostriches, and cassowaries
Reptiles and Amphibians
- Crocodilians
- Venomous snakes
- Venomous reptiles
Invertebrates
- Scorpions, except those in the genus Pandinus
- Centipedes of the genus Scolopendra
- Certain spiders, including:
- Latrodectus (widow spiders)
- Loxosceles (recluse spiders)
- Family Dipluridae (funnel-web spiders)
- Phoneutria (banana spiders or wandering spiders)
- Family Ctenizidae (trap-door spiders)
- Sicarius (sand spiders)
- Family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), except Theraphosids native to North and South America and Brachypelma smithi (Mexican redknee tarantula)
The following animals, when bred in captivity, are not considered wild or exotic and are permitted as pets:
- Rabbits
- Rats
- Mice
- Ferrets
- Hamsters
- Gerbils
- Chinchillas
- Hedgehogs
- Sugar gliders
- Guinea pigs
Also allowed are:
- Domestically bred or legally imported birds that are not ratites (flightless birds)
- Non-venomous snakes
- Non-venomous reptiles
- Amphibians
- Fish
Dogs and cats are allowed. Be sure to follow dog licensing requirements.
This section applies to residents who owned a wild or exotic animal in Arlington County before the 2017 ban took effect. At that time, owners were required to either register the animal with Animal Control or transfer the animal out of the County. Venomous snakes and venomous reptiles were not eligible for registration.
Registration
To register an eligible animal, proof of Arlington residency was required. Documentation requirements were determined by Animal Control.
Rehoming or Transfer Options
If an animal could not be registered, it was required to be removed from Arlington County. Approved options included transferring the animal to a:
- Zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)
- Wildlife sanctuary as defined under the federal Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 3371–3378)
- Veterinary clinic properly licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia or the federal government
Animals could also be surrendered to Animal Control or, when appropriate, humanely euthanized.
Important Note
These requirements were part of the original implementation of the 2017 ordinance. New ownership of wild or exotic animals covered by the ban is not permitted.