Lincoln County has released a new proposal. It would ban (list below) many animal species. To obscure the issue, there is also a long exempt species list. This means all species not on the exempt list would still be prohibited
UPDATE 11/26/25: Lincoln County has released a new proposal. It would ban (list below) many animal species. To obscure the issue, there is also a long exempt species list. This means all species not on the exempt list would still be prohibited (so the exempt list is rather pointless and just makes this ordinance more difficult for law enforcement officers). There is a grandfather provision for animals currently held. For the listed venomous reptiles, constrictor snakes, and venomous insects, a grandfather permit would allow “the number permitted to remain under any future renewal” (meaning that if 20 animals are on your permit, you can always have up to 20). For all other prohibited animals, the grandfather provision only applies to animals held at the time of the permit. Lincoln County has released a new proposal. It would ban many animal species, including rock iguanas and some constrictor snakes. Note that state law already regulates listed constrictor snakes, venomous reptiles, and crocodilians under North Carolina. Gen. Stat. § 14-416. Possession of native mammals and birds is covered under 15A NCAC 10H.1404.
MEETING: December 1 at 6:30 PM. Lincoln County Admin Building, 353 N. Generals Blvd, Lincolnton, NC
Read the proposal at https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/25-lincoln-county-3.pdf.
Email list: jamie.lineberger@lincolncountync.gov, bud.cesena@lincolncountync.gov, mark.mullen@lincolncountync.gov, trent.carpenter@lincolncountync.gov, alex.patton@lincolncountync.gov, jennifer.farmer@lincolncountync.gov, davin.madden@lincolncountync.gov
List of banned “exotic animals”:
EXOTIC ANIMAL means any (1) Crocodilian, (2) Inherently Dangerous Arachnid, (3) Inherently
Dangerous Exotic Mammal, (4) Large Constricting Snake, (5) Venomous Reptile, (6) animal that
would ordinarily be confined to a zoo, or (7) any mammal designated by the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC), the Department of Agriculture or any other national or state public health protection
agencies as embargoed and prohibited.
INHERENTLY DANGEROUS ARACHNID means all members of Class Arachnida which, due to their
inherent nature, may be considered dangerous to humans, including only arachnids in:
(A) Order Araneae (only spiders which are venomous and their venom is considered medically
significant, and not including tarantulas); and
(B) Order Scorpionida (all scorpions which are venomous and their venom is considered
medically significant)
INHERENTLY DANGEROUS EXOTIC MAMMAL means any member of the Canidae, Felidae,
Ursidae, or Elephantidae families or any member of the order primates, excluding humans, including
hybrids thereof, which, due to their inherent nature, may be considered dangerous to humans, are
exotic animals, and include, but are not limited to, any or all of the following orders and families,
whether bred in the wild or in captivity, and any or all hybrids thereof (all animals listed in
parenthesis are intended as examples and shall not be construed as an exhaustive list or limit the
generality of each group of animals unless otherwise specified):
(A) Order Artiodactyla (such as hippopotami and giraffes);
(B) Order Carnivora, which includes:
i. Family Felidae (such as lions, tigers, panthers, leopards, jaguars, ocelots, and
servals);
ii. Family Canidae (such as such as wolves and jackals);
iii. Family Ursidae (all bears);
iv. Family Mustelidae (such as weasels, martins and minks);
v. Family Procyonidae (such as coatis);
vi. Family Hyaenidae (all hyenas); and
vii. Family Viverridae (such as civets, genets and mongooses)
(C) Order Edentatia (such as anteaters, armadillos, and sloths);
(D) Order Marsupialia (such as kangaroos and wallabies);
(E) Order Perissodactyla (such as rhinoceroses and tapirs, but not horses, donkeys, or mules);
(F) Order Primates (such as lemurs, monkeys, chimpanzees, baboons, gorillas, and all other non-
human primates);
(G) Order Proboscidae (all elephants); and
(H) Order Rodentia (including capybara).
LARGE CONSTRICTING SNAKE means Reticulated Python, Python reticulatus; Burmese Python,
Python molurus; African Rock Python, Python sebae; Amethystine Python, Morelia amethistina; and
Green Anaconda, Eunectes murinus; or any of their subspecies or hybrids.
VENOMOUS REPTILE means all members of the class Reptilia including their taxonomic
successors, subspecies, or any hybrid thereof, regardless of surgical alteration, determined to have the
potential to cause serious human injury due to the toxic effects of its venom or poison, and includes
all venomous reptiles of the class Reptilia belonging to the families:
(A) Family Elapidae (all species, including but not limited to coral snakes, cobras and mambas);
(B) Family Crotalidae (all species, including but not limited to pit vipers);
(C) Family Viperidae (all species, including but not limited to cottonmouths);
(D) Family Hydrophiidae (all species, including but not limited to sea snakes);
(E) All reptiles in the genus Heloderma (including but not limited to gila monsters);
(F) Family Colubridae, but only those belonging to the following:
i. The genus Rhabdophis (including but not limited to keelback snakes);
ii. The genus Balanophis (including but not limited to Sri Lanka blossom krait);
iii. The genus Macropisthodon;
iv. The genus Boiga (including but not limited to cat-eyed snakes);
v. The genus Dispholidus (including but not limited to boomslang);
vi. The genus Thelotornis (including but not limited to twig snake); and
vii. The genus Thrasops
(G) Atractaspididae (all species, including but not limited to mole vipers);
(H) Family Varanidae (only water monitors and crocodile monitors);
(I) Family Iguanaidae (only rock iguanas); and
(J) Family Nactricidae (only keelback snakes)
