Thinking of getting an exotic pet in the Midlands? Check this list first

Caleb Bozard
·2 min read

Thinking of bringing home your very own pet skunk, swan, chimp or, um, rhinoceros? Think again.

Local city, county and state laws prohibit residents from owning certain animals — except in zoos, circuses, wildlife centers and the like.

So here’s a list of animals that are illegal to have as pets in the Midlands to keep in mind unless you want authorities to commandeer your exotic furry or scaly friend.

Columbia

The city of Columbia bans the ownership of:

  • Alligators, crocodiles and caimans

  • Any lizard of the family varanidae over 2 feet long — this family includes various monitor lizards and the Komodo dragon

  • Any non-domestic member of the cat family

  • Any non-human primate

  • Any wolf-dog hybrid

  • Any venomous reptile

  • Badgers, wolverines, weasels, skunks, minks and raccoons

  • Bats

  • Bears

  • Reticulated pythons, Burmese or Indian rock pythons, rock pythons, and anacondas

  • Scorpions

Richland County

Richland County bans all the species banned in the city of Columbia, as well as:

  • Any wild or untamed animal

  • Any non-domesticated member of the order Carnivora — this includes carnivores such as hyenas, mongooses, seals and walruses

Lexington and Lexington County

The city of Lexington and Lexington County have the same list of banned animals. This includes any exotic animal, which is defined in the law as “those species of animals that are exotic to humans.” This includes:

  • All crocodilians, such as crocodiles, alligators, caimans and gavials

  • Bears

  • Elephants

  • Giraffes

  • Gorillas

  • Hippopotamuses

  • Hyenas

  • Non-domesticated cats, including lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, ocelots, and servals

  • Rhinoceroses

  • Water monitors and crocodile monitors

  • Wolves, coyotes and jackals

Cayce

The city of Cayce doesn’t allow you to own:

  • Any wild non-domesticated animals, unless allowed by the state Department of Natural Resources or Cayce City Council

  • Any wolf-dog, coyote-dog or fox-dog hybrid

  • Any domestic cat-ocelots or margay hybrid

  • Guinea fowl, peafowl, swans, ducks, pheasants, waterfowl, exotics and game birds

City of West Columbia

The city of West Columbia prohibits:

  • Guinea fowl, peafowl, swans, ducks, pheasants, waterfowl, exotics and game birds

South Carolina

The state has bans on the trade and importation of several wild and exotic animals, but it has ownership bans on:

  • Any bear not native to the state

  • Large wild cats, including lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, cheetahs, snow leopards and clouded leopards

  • Great apes, including all species of chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans