close up of woman holding a hamster or gerbil in hands. It is legal to have a pet gerbil or hamster in alberta.

Alberta has strict policies and regulations when it comes to animal ownership. The province is well known for its environmental and wildlife management.

In fact, Alberta is world famous for being rat free.

The Alberta Controlled animals document is a legal list of animals that are either outright banned, or require special permissions.

Source: Alberta Controlled Animals PDF

All that being said, we are happy to tell you that gerbils are not currently on the controlled species list:

Can you have a pet gerbil in Alberta?

It is legal to own a pet gerbil in Alberta, as they are not currently on the Alberta Controlled Animals list.

The list can be changed by the government at any time, so always be sure to stay up to date.

It is also important to point out that the controlled animals list is a province wide regulation, but municipalities can add extra legal layers with bylaws.

You will also have to look into the rules of a private property. For example, your landlord may not allow gerbils, or have a limit on how many you can have.

Everything discussed here also applies to hamsters. Hamsters and gerbils are different but they do share some similarities.

See our list of other exotic pets that you can own as a pet in Alberta called What Exotic Pets Can You Legally Own in Alberta?

In Summary

  • Gerbils and Hamsters are currently legal to own as pets in Alberta
  • Alberta has a list of controlled species, and gerbils and hamsters are not currently listed
  • Municipalities can have extra bylaws that go beyond the provincial regulations. Check your local authorities

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