Vertebrates. Currently only dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and selected species of birds from approved countries may be imported as pets and only when strict conditions are met. No other vertebrate animals are approved for import into Australia as pets.
Wild animals like lions, tigers, etc. cannot be tamed in the house as pet animals as they are wild by nature.
Can you have an owl as a pet in Australia? Owls are not allowed to be kept as pets in Australia as they are considered “exotic pets”.
Two species of native mammal can be kept as pets in NSW as long as they have been bred in captivity and you have a licence. All native mammals, including marsupials like kangaroos, possums and quolls, are protected by law in New South Wales.
In NSW you need a licence to keep most native animals as pets. Not all native animals can be kept as pets, but some species which have been bred in captivity can be kept. None of these animals may be caught in the wild.
All introduced mammal species are prohibited as pets unless listed as exceptions. A sample of these prohibited mammals include: foxes • squirrels • ferrets/polecats/stoats • rabbits • hamsters • monkeys/marmosets • gerbils • weasels • dingoes.
Currently only dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and selected species of birds from approved countries may be imported as pets and only when strict conditions are met. No other vertebrate animals are approved for import into Australia as pets.
Native mammals like kangaroos, quolls and sugar gliders cannot be kept as pets in NSW. The best place for native animals is in the bush where they can live in their natural environment. Native mammals have special needs and do not thrive in confined domestic environments.
Ducks and geese are other kinds of domestic poultry that can be kept along with or instead of chickens. These poultry also require a permit.
However, the species is prohibited throughout Australia for a number of reasons including its potential to introduce exotic animal diseases and because the species has the ability to become a serious invasive pest in Australia.
Native birds are protected by law so if you want to keep a native bird as a pet you'll need a biodiversity conservation licence granted under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 from the Department of Planning and Environment (National Parks and Wildlife Service).
Meerkats under the Animal Welfare Act
While it's currently legal to own a meerkat as a pet, it's also a legal requirement under the Animal Welfare Act that owners meet all their needs in a way that allows for natural behaviours.
Special permits are necessary to keep most Australian wildlife (e.g. kangaroos, possums, wombats, koalas, kookaburras, magpies, hawks, many reptiles, frogs and fish). Usually only zoos and fauna parks are given permits to hold these animals.
It is illegal to capture reptiles from the wild to keep them as pets — all reptile pets in Australia must have been bred in captivity.
House crows are classified as a prohibited pest animal under the Victorian Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. The importation, keeping, breeding and trading of this species, without appropriate permits, is illegal and penalties apply. The house crow is not known to occur in the wild in Australia.
It is an offence to keep this species unless authorised, for example under the Exhibited Animals Protection Act 1986 or Animal Research Act 1985.
Wolves can be beautiful animals and many people wonder if they're allowed to keep them as pets. But the short answer is, Australia does not allow wolves or dog-wolf crosses into the country. The ban on wolves extends to breeds like the: Czechoslovakian wolfdog (also called the Czechoslovakian Vlcak)
The most important thing to remember is that a wallaby is an exotic animal and while they can be tamed and socialized, they are wild animals and are not encouraged as domestic pets. In some areas of Australia, wallabies have been trained to live indoors and show signs of affectionate with a playful spirit.
These small, nocturnal marsupials are also known as 'Bagu' in the Gamilaraay language—an Aboriginal group whose land extends from southern Queensland to New South Wales. Sugar gliders are very social animals.
Other Animals
The following pets are not permitted to enter Australia: chinchillas, fish, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, lizards, mice, snakes, spiders, pigs and turtles. Live pigeons are permitted from any country, however, household birds are only permitted if they are entering from New Zealand.
Up to 150,000 ferrets are kept as pets in Australia. However, ferrets are prohibited as pets in Queensland and the Northern Territory. You must not keep, feed, move, give away, sell or release into the environment.
Can You Legally Keep Quokkas as Pets? The main reason why quokkas don't make good pets is that it's illegal to remove them from Australia. Quokkas are heavily protected by Australian law. The IUCN currently classifies them as threatened.