Any wildlife or exotic pet you may be interested in owning needs to be checked against the controlled animals list.
If the species is listed then you either need a permit, or you can’t own it at all.
Can you own a Lynx in Alberta?
You can not own a Lynx (genus lynx) without a permit in Alberta. This includes the bobcat which is a type of lynx.
The Lynx is a controlled animal listed under the Cat-Like category.
Some provincially controlled animals can be owned with a permit. This is typically reserved for professional animal handlers like zoos.
Here is a screenshot of the relevant section of the Alberta Controlled Animals list:
You will notice that most large cat-like animals are on the controlled list. This would include the bobcat, as a bobcat is in the genus lynx.
This is a provincial list of animals. Some wildlife is regulated at the Federal level in Canada.
Some municipalities also have additional bylaws regulating certain animals.
If you are interested in owning an exotic animal as a pet, you can see our legal pets in Alberta here.
In Summary
- The Lynx is a controlled animal in Alberta, and can not be owned without a permit.
- This includes the bobcat which is a type of lynx.
- Most large cat-like mammals are on the controlled animals list, such as lions and tigers.
