Can You Own a Tiger in Texas? Big Cat Laws Explained
Updated: Oct 7
Texas is often described as a state with few restrictions on exotic animals, and questions about owning a tiger come up regularly. The answer is no. Since December 20, 2022, federal law has prohibited private individuals from possessing or breeding big cats, and the period in which existing owners could register their animals closed on June 18, 2023. Texas separately regulates tigers as dangerous wild animals, and counties and cities have the authority to prohibit them entirely.
This article explains the three levels of law that apply, federal, state, and local, and what each requires. It also covers the questions that usually follow: which other animals Texas regulates, and what happens to big cats that can no longer remain in private hands.
Federal law: the Big Cat Public Safety Act
The Big Cat Public Safety Act, Public Law 117-243, took effect on December 20, 2022. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which administers the Act, lists the species it covers:
"The prohibited wildlife species listed in the Act include the following species and hybrids of any of these species: lion (Panthera leo), tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), jaguar (Panthera onca), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), and cougar (Puma concolor)." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, What You Need to Know About the Big Cat Public Safety Act
The Act makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase these animals in interstate or foreign commerce, and to breed or possess them. In practical terms, a private individual has no lawful way to buy, receive, or breed a big cat in the United States.
The Act also ended public contact. Facilities covered by the law may not allow direct contact between the public and any big cat after December 20, 2022. Cub petting, cub photo sessions, and similar hands-on encounters are no longer lawful.
A limited set of entities is exempt: USDA-licensed Class C exhibitors; state colleges, universities, and agencies; state-licensed veterinarians; qualifying wildlife sanctuaries; and qualifying transporters. These exemptions apply to licensed and regulated institutions, not to private owners.
People who already owned big cats when the law took effect could keep them only by registering the animals with the Fish and Wildlife Service. That registration closed at 11:59 p.m. on June 18, 2023, and no extensions were granted.
Texas law: dangerous wild animals
Texas law predates the federal Act and continues to apply to the species it names, including several that the federal law does not cover. Chapter 822, Subchapter E of the Texas Health and Safety Code defines a dangerous wild animal as:
"a lion; a tiger; an ocelot; a cougar; a leopard; a cheetah; a jaguar; a bobcat; a lynx; a serval; a caracal; a hyena; a bear; a coyote; a jackal; a baboon; a chimpanzee; an orangutan; a gorilla; or any hybrid of an animal listed in this subdivision." Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 822, Subchapter E
Keeping one of these animals in Texas requires a certificate of registration. Under the statute:
The certificate is issued by the municipal or county animal-control office, or by the county sheriff where no animal-control office exists.
The application must identify each animal by species, sex, age, and distinguishing marks, give the exact location where it will be kept, and include recent photographs of the animal and of its primary enclosure, along with a sworn statement of compliance.
The owner must carry liability insurance of at least $100,000 for each occurrence.
The animal's primary enclosure must meet standards set to protect public safety, prevent escape, and provide humane conditions.
Application fees may not exceed $50 per animal or $500 per person.
Renewals require a veterinarian's certification that the animal is receiving proper care.
A violation is a criminal offense, and civil penalties range from $200 to $2,000 for each animal for each day of the violation.
For the big cats covered by the federal Act, the state certificate no longer creates a lawful path to private ownership.
Local rules: counties and cities
The same subchapter allows municipalities and counties to prohibit or regulate, by ordinance or order, the ownership, possession, confinement, or care of a dangerous wild animal. As a result, the answer can differ from one county or city to the next, and many local governments go further than the state.
Anyone trying to understand the rules for a specific address should contact the county or city animal-control office, or the county sheriff's office where there is no animal-control office, and ask whether a local order is in place.
What about raccoons, monkeys, and other animals?
These questions follow different rules depending on the species.
Animals on the Chapter 822 list. Bobcats, lynx, servals, caracals, cougars, hyenas, bears, coyotes, jackals, baboons, and the great apes require a state certificate of registration and are subject to any local prohibition.
Native Texas wildlife. Animals native to Texas are regulated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which states that "in order to possess or transport any indigenous wildlife in Texas, a permit is required by Texas law."
Species that carry rabies risk. Under the state's rabies control rules, it is illegal to transport any live fox, skunk, coyote, or raccoon indigenous or naturalized to North America. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor.
Native birds. Most native birds are protected under federal migratory bird law and may not be kept.
Because the rules vary by species and location, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the local animal-control office are the appropriate sources for a specific question.
What happens to big cats that leave private ownership
A big cat that is surrendered or removed from a private owner cannot be released into the wild. It needs permanent care from a facility equipped to provide it, and the number of such facilities is limited.
Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary began in 1995 as the Tiger Missing Link Foundation, established to document tigers in captivity outside accredited zoos. It became Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge in 1997 and Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary in 2017. Since 1995, it has rescued more than 75 big cats, and today it provides lifelong care for rescued animals on 173 acres in Tyler, East Texas.
The big cats in the sanctuary's care have come from a range of backgrounds, including former pets that could no longer be cared for, animals retired from the circus, and surplus cats from zoos. Visitors see them on guided Conservation Tours, and there is no public contact with the big cats. More about the current residents is available on Meet Our Animals, and the sanctuary's history and approach are described on the About page.
Help Provide Lifelong Care
A big cat that leaves private ownership needs care for the rest of its life. Donations help provide the food, veterinary care, enrichment, and daily care the animal residents at Tiger Creek depend on.
How to tell whether a facility follows the law
Since December 2022, federal law has prohibited facilities covered by the Big Cat Public Safety Act from allowing direct public contact with big cats. An offer to pet, hold, feed, or pose with a big cat or cub is therefore a reason to ask questions before visiting or donating.
Independent review is another indicator. Tiger Creek has published the outcome of its most recent independent inspection in Independent Inspection Yields Outstanding Report, and describes its work with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in AZA and Tiger Creek: A Partnership to Excellent Animal Care.
See the Sanctuary on a Conservation Tour
Guided Conservation Tours run from March 1 through October 31. Guides introduce the animal residents and share where each one came from. Tours are booked online in advance.
Lifelong care for rescued big cats depends on donors. Anyone who would like to help provide that care can donate to Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary.
By Emily Brooks, Executive Director. Emily Brooks serves as Executive Director of Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary, overseeing the organization's rescue, animal care, and conservation efforts.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to own a tiger in Texas?
No. The federal Big Cat Public Safety Act has prohibited private individuals from possessing or breeding tigers since December 20, 2022, and the registration period for existing owners closed on June 18, 2023. Texas also classifies tigers as dangerous wild animals requiring a certificate, and counties and cities may prohibit them.
What animals are illegal to own in Texas?
Texas does not use a single list. Big cats are prohibited for private owners under federal law. The species named in Chapter 822 of the Health and Safety Code require a local certificate and may be banned by counties or cities. Native wildlife requires a permit from Texas Parks and Wildlife, and live foxes, skunks, coyotes, and raccoons may not be transported under the state's rabies rules.
Can someone get a permit to keep a big cat in Texas?
Generally, no, not as a private individual. The federal exemptions cover licensed and regulated institutions, including USDA-licensed Class C exhibitors, state colleges and universities, state agencies, state-licensed veterinarians, qualifying sanctuaries, and qualifying transporters.
Is cub petting still allowed?
No. Since December 20, 2022, facilities covered by the Big Cat Public Safety Act may not allow direct contact between the public and any big cat, including cubs.
How many tigers are kept privately in Texas?
There is no verified public figure. Private ownership was not tracked centrally before the federal registration period, and any figures that circulate should be treated as estimates rather than counts.
Who should be contacted about a big cat kept privately?
The county or city animal-control office, or the county sheriff where there is no animal-control office, handles certificates under Chapter 822. Federal matters are handled by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. No one should approach the animal or its enclosure.
