closeup photo of tan rat. rats are illegal as pets in alberta canada.

Alberta has an official list of animals that are controlled. There are strict regulations on what can be a pet without permits or special permissions.

Municipalities may also have additional restrictions and regulations through bylaws.

Can you own a pet rat in Alberta?

It is illegal to own a rat in Alberta.

Alberta is famous for it’s anti-rat policies. It is one of the most rat free regions of the world.

In Part 1: Mammals, top of page 6, of the Alberta Controlled Animals list, you will find ”True Rats (Genus Rattus)”. You will also find other rat and mouse-like species in this document.

You can read more about Alberta’s Rat Free policies here.

In Summary

  • You can not legally own a rat in Alberta.
  • Alberta is famous for being a rat free region of the world. Decades of actively poisoning and trapping rats has kept rats away.
  • You can refer to the controlled animals list to determine which animals you can legally keep as pets in Alberta.
  • There are other animals you can own in Alberta that are considered exotic pets.

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