What Texas law says about owning a pet monkey, other wild animals
Customers at a Spirit Halloween in Plano were shocked to see a monkey hanging from the rafters of a Spirit Halloween on the night of Monday, Oct. 27.
No, it was not a part of Spirit Halloween’s collection— the monkey, wearing a diaper, was a customer’s pet.
The monkey got spooked from an animatronic decoration and sought refuge in the ceiling.
Police were dispatched to the scene and the owner eventually lured the pet back down to the ground by bribing it with a cookie.
Though no customers, employees or monkeys were hurt, Plano police told the owner to keep her pet monkey on a leash.
What kinds of wild animals can you keep as pets in Texas?
Are monkeys legal pets in Texas?
Yes, but there are some restrictions on wild animals. According to Texas local government code, “wild animal” means “a nondomestic animal that the commissioners court of a county determines is dangerous and is in need of control in that county.”
If one possesses a wild animal, they must obtain a certificate of registration for their nondomestic pet. And while some monkeys are legal, other animals like baboons, chimpanzees, orangutans or gorillas are considered “dangerous wild animals.”
The Texas Animal Control handbook specifically outlines the following animals as “dangerous wild animals”:
- lion
- tiger
- ocelot
- cougar
- leopard
- cheetah
- jaguar
- bobcat
- lynx
- serval
- caracal
- hyena
- bear
- coyote
- jackal
- baboon
- chimpanzee
- orangutan
- gorilla
- Any hybrid of the above
Is Spirit Halloween pet-friendly?
According to Spirit Halloween’s X account, the only pets allowed in stores are service dogs. This could change per store location depending on each location’s policies.