Other Domesticated Animals

You cannot own or keep any of these animals, as described in the Responsible Animal Ownership By-law:

Download the Responsible Animal Ownership By-law(PDF, 1.38 MB) 

• Anseriformes (e.g., ducks, geese, swans and screamers) except those located on lands that are zoned rural or agricultural.

• Artiodactyla (e.g., cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, deer, elk, alpacas and llamas) except:

  1. ​Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs with a valid licence

  2. Artiodactyla living on rural or agricultural zoned lands

• ​Carnivora (e.g., otters, wolves, bears, coyotes, foxes, tigers, leopards, cougars, lions, lynx, mink, skunks, weasels, badgers, mongooses and racoons) except dogs, cats and ferrets.

• Chiroptera (e.g., bats, myotis and flying foxes)

• Crocodylia (e.g., alligators, crocodiles, gavials and caimans)

• Edentates (e.g., anteaters, sloths and armadillos)

• Galliformes (e.g., pheasants, grouse, guinea fowls, turkeys, chickens and peafowls) except those located on lands zoned as rural or agricultural.

• Lagomorpha (e.g., hares and pikas) except domestic rabbits.

• Marsupialia (e.g., koalas, kangaroos, opossums and wallabies) except sugar gliders derived from self-sustaining captive populations.

• Perissodactyla (e.g., horses, donkeys, jackasses, mules, zebras and ponies) except those located on rural or agricultural zoned lands.

• Primates (e.g., chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys and lemurs)

• Proboscidea (e.g., elephants, rhinoceros and hippopotamuses)

• Raptors (e.g., eagles, hawks, falcons and owls) except as permitted under a provincial falconry licence.

• Rodentia (e.g., porcupines, prairie dogs, nutria and chinchillas) except Rodentia:

  1. Where it exceeds or will weigh more than 1,500 g before or at maturity and

  2. That is derived from a self sustaining captive population.

• Squamata (e.g., lizards and snakes) except

  1. Non-venomous snakes where neither it is not being longer than or will grow longer than three metres in length from its nose to the tip of  its tail before or at maturity; and

  2. Non-venomous lizards (not including iguana) where it is not longer than or will grow to be longer than two meters in length from its nose to the tip of its tail before or at maturity.

• ​​Struthioniformes (e.g., ostriches, rheas, cassowaries, emus and kiwis) except ostriches, emys or kiwis living on rural or agricultural zoned lands.

Vietnamese potbellied pigs are only allowed in rural areas. You must licence your potbellied pig. If you had your pig licensed before February 8, 2012, you are allowed to keep your pig, but you may not get a new pig.

Fee: The cost for a Vietnamese potbellied pig licence is $35 for one year. You must buy a licence at:

Hamilton Animal Services
247 Dartnall Road
Hamilton, Ontario L8W 3V9
(located at the rear of the SPCA Building)
Call 905-574-3433