It's Illegal to Own More Than 12 of These Animals in Colorado

In Colorado having a pet is pretty standard but there are limits on how many and what kind of animals you can own.

There is a huge range of animals that are perfectly legal to own within the state, however, residents and visitors should be aware that in general, it is illegal to own wildlife in Colorado.

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Keep Colorado Wildlife Wild

So not only is it illegal to remove a wildlife animal from its habitat in Colorado, but it is also very dangerous. If you discover wildlife in distress the best thing to do is report it to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). CPW employs trained and licensed wildlife rehabilitators who know just how to handle wildlife and how to keep the community protected.

Wildlife rehabilitation permits are only given to people who have adequate training and facilities to care for sick, injured or orphaned wildlife in a manner that minimizes human contact and maximizes the chances that wildlife can be returned successfully to the wild. It is not legal to "adopt" wildlife as a personal possession or pet.

While the wildlife in Colorado is not up for grabs, that doesn't mean you can't find a legal pet to add to your family.

Domestic Animals Can Totally Be Pets in Colorado

Colorado will let you have an array of non-standard pets such as alpacas, reindeer, emu, chinchillas, and even camels. Heck, you can even own red kangaroos, a variety of wallabies, or a cute African pygmy hedgehog.

Of course, it's also perfectly legal to own the usual pets such as dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, and hamsters.

In fact, there are ever numerous locations across Colorado that do not have a specified limit on the number of dogs you can own.

If the above mammals don't interest you, there is a list of legal non-mammals that may pique your interest, but there is a limit on how many you can legally keep.

Up to four individuals of each of the following species and/or subspecies of reptiles and amphibians may be taken annually and held in captivity, provided that no more than 12 in the aggregate may be possessed at any time

Keep scrolling to see which reptiles and amphibians are perfectly legal to capture and own.

There's A Legal Limit to Owning These 16 Colorado Animals

These Colorado animals may be common, but it's illegal to collect more than 4 in a year and you can't own more than 12 in all:

Exotic Pets You Can Own in Colorado

From alpacas to kangaroos, here are the exotic pets that you can own in Colorado.

Animals truly are the best thing ever, it's amazing how they show us, unconditional love. There are surprisingly lots of exotic animals that you're legally allowed to own here in Colorado.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

Source: It’s Illegal to Own More Than 12 of These Animals in Colorado