Maryland bill seeks to ban zebras, kangaroos, and wallabies as pets

Annapolis, MD – A new bill before the Maryland General Assembly would expand the state’s existing ban on certain exotic animals, adding zebras, kangaroos, wallaroos, and wallabies to the list of prohibited species.

The proposal, filed as House Bill 53 by Delegate Mary Lehman and several co-sponsors, would make it illegal to import, sell, breed, or possess the newly listed animals beginning October 1, 2026. Individuals who already own any of these species before that date would be allowed to keep them if they notify their local animal control authority in writing by December 1, 2026.

The measure also shortens the exemption period for nonresidents transporting exotic animals through Maryland—from ten days to just 48 hours—and removes an existing exemption that previously allowed people wi...