Is it legal to have a pet tiger in Texas?

In Texas, whether you can legally keep a tiger as a pet depends on local city or county laws. State law does not explicitly ban owning a tiger, but it requires owners to register and obtain a permit for dangerous wild animals through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Owners must also provide secure caging and maintain liability insurance or surety bonds. However, many local jurisdictions have their own regulations, which might completely prohibit ownership of such animals.

Trivia: Texas is estimated to have one of the highest populations of privately owned tigers in the world. Some estimates suggest there are more tigers in Texas backyards than in the wilds of the world.