Prohibited Animals

• Definition of Prohibited Animal
• Grandfathered Prohibited Animals
• Prohibited Animal Offences
• Violating HRM By-Law A-300 Part 10
• Reporting a Prohibited Animal

Definition Of Prohibited Animal

Prohibited animals are animals that are not permitted to be kept as pets within the HRM. HRM Administrative Order 11 prohibits the following animals:

• wildlife identified as endangered, threatened or protected in the Wildlife Act.

• all venomous snakes, reptiles, insects and arachnids.

• these seven species of the Boid family listed below:
  • green anaconda
  • yellow anaconda
  • reticulated python
  • African rock python
  • Burmese python
  • Indian python
  • amethyst python

• any snake longer than 3.3 meters (from snout to tip of tail).

• any lizard longer than two meters (from snout to tip of tail).

Grandfathered Prohibited Animals

HRM By-Law A-300 contains a grandfather clause allowing prohibited animals owned prior to April 1, 2008 to be kept by their owners provided the pet was microchipped and licensed as a grandfathered prohibited animal by June 30, 2008. Owners of grandfathered prohibited animals must follow the regulations in effect for "other animals."

Prohibited Animal Offences

HRM By-Law A-300 Part 10 - Prohibited Animal Offences stipulates that:

• No person shall:
  • be the owner of a prohibited animal.
  • dispose of any prohibited animal except by releasing the said animal to an
    Animal Control Officer.
  • sell or offer for sale any prohibited animal.

The above stipulations do not appy to situations where:

• the owner of the animal is a university, zoo, museum or other facility for the preservation as specimens of natural history or for scientific purposes.

• the animal is owned for the purpose of entertaining the public; and the owner has authorization to be the owner of the animal under any statute or regulationof the Parliament or Government of Canada or the Legislature or Government of Nova Scotia.

Violating HRM By-Law A-300 Part 10

Animal owners found to be in violation of HRM By-Law A-300 may:

• be issued a Summary Offense Ticket of $340.21 or greater.

• face prosecution in a court of law.

• have their pet taken from them by Animal Services.

Reporting a Prohibited Animal

Residents who wish to report a prohibited animal  should:

• contact the HRM Calll Centre at 490-4000, 1-800-835-6428 (toll free in Nova Scotia). You will need to provide a description of the animal, and the name and address of the animal's owner.

more information on registering a complaint