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To amend ch. 4, art. IV, div. 3 of the City Code by adding therein a new section 4-401, concerning exotic and wild animals. (As Amended)
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
? 1. That Chapter 4, Article IV, Division 3 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2020) be and hereby is amended and reordained by adding therein a new section numbered 4-401 as follows:
Sec. 4-401. Exotic and wild animals.
(a) For purposes of this section, the term "exotic or wild animal" means any live monkey (non-human primate), raccoon, opossum, skunk, wolf, coyote, squirrel, fox, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx, caracal, bobcat, bear or any other warm-blooded animal which can normally be found in the wild, except birds legally removed from the wild under authorization of a federal or state agency, as well as any venomous or poisonous reptile or amphibian or any member of the crocodilian family, including but not limited to, alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gavials. Ferrets, rabbits, chinchillas, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice, [and] rats, non-venomous reptiles, amphibians, and fish that have been in captivity and that have never known the wild and domestically bred or legally imported birds, non-venomous reptiles, amphibians, and fish shall not constitute "exotic or wild animals."
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to own, breed, purchase, sell, offer for purchase or sale, keep, maintain, or have in such person's possession or in such person's control any exotic or wild animal in the city, except for individuals, organizations, zoological parks, performing animal exhibitions, circuses, wildlife rehabilitators, or veterinary clinics that are [property] properly licensed or permitted by the federal government or state government or unless that person previously has obtained a permit issued by the [department] Department for such exotic or wild animal[, except that persons holding a Category I, II, or III Wildli...
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