Legislative findings, purpose and intent.
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 35-212
in effect§ 35-212. - Legislative findings, purpose and intent.
(a) The Council hereby makes the following findings:
1. that exotic wildlife, as defined in Section 35-213 of this article, when kept or harbored within the corporate limits of The City of Oklahoma City ("the City"), poses a serious threat to the health, safety and/or general welfare of the residents of this community by virtue of the physical attributes, natural behaviors, habits, modes of life, and/or natural instincts of such animals; and
2. that exotic wildlife poses a serious threat to the health, safety and/or welfare of the residents of the City because such animals, due to the characteristics of their species, are incapable of being domesticated and because the proper and safe keeping of such animals requires the exercise of professional art, force, and/or skill; and
3. that keeping or harboring of exotic wildlife within the City, outside of control by a zoological park or by the other persons or organizations listed in Section 35-217 of this article, can and often does render certain residents of this community insecure in their daily lives and fearful for their health, safety and/or general welfare and is an unwarranted and unnecessary intrusion into the lives of such residents; and
4. that numerous incidents have been documented in other cities around the United States and the world of exotic wildlife getting out of control and killing, maiming, or injuring human beings; and
5. that even when in a juvenile stage of life, exotic wildlife can seriously injure humans beings, especially children, and can kill or seriously injure animals such as domestic dogs, cats, and/or birds being kept by humans as pets; and
6. that certain exotic wildlife, such as non-human primates, poses a threat of disease to human beings due to their close biological relationship with humans; and
7. that based upon the foregoing findings, it is clear that exotic wildlife poses a serious hazard to the public health, safety and/or general welfare of the citizens of this community and that such wildlife must be prohibited outside the control of those persons or organizations listed in Section 35-217 of this article.
(b) Based upon the foregoing findings, as set forth above in Paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(7), inclusive, of this section, Council states that the public purposes and the intent of the provisions of this article are to legally prevent the keeping or harboring of exotic wildlife within the City, to summarily impound exotic wildlife within the City under certain circumstances, and, if necessary, to abate by civil action in District Court the keeping or harboring of exotic wildlife within the City.
(Ord. No. 21334, § 1, 10-12-99)
Source: City of Oklahoma City, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/oklahoma_city/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=OKMUCO2020_CH35NU_ARTVIIIEXWI_DIV1GE_S35-212LEFIPUINFetched: 10/28/2026