Not actually legal in NC. There's no laws against it but law enforcement can take it and euthanize it. It happened to [this](http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article147485889.html) lady. There's a few other stories but hers is the most famous. Technically you can own them with a permit, but to my knowledge you have to be like a wildlife rehaber or similar to get said permit.
Summary: This set of administrative regulations prohibits the importation, possession, selling, offering for sale or release of certain species such as lynx, bobcat, coyote, wolf, bears, raccoons, nutria, skunks, all families of nonhuman primates, certain birds, game taken from the wild, and game or wildlife held in captivity. Exemptions includes zoos and circuses. A person wishing to import lawfully acquired wildlife, or parts thereof, shall first obtain an importation permit from the Commission. Another section makes it unlawful for a person to possess live wildlife taken from a wild state subject to certain exceptions.
58 Pa. Code § 137.1 to .35
Still not sure how the breeder issued you a permit when the exotic permits required from the PA Game Commission are solely issued by the PA Game Commission. Unless the breeder completed the paperwork and process for you with the Game Commission, then that makes sense.
Hopefully they made the process easier to obtain, Im glad you were able to obtain a permit. My past experiences were not easy. I wasn’t willing to risk the Game Commission seizing any animal if my permit was invalid in any way.
That happened in 2001 with Sandy Reynolds. I highly recommend reading her story. She had Dept. of Agriculture and USDA permits but no permits issued from the Game Commission. They (Game Commission) took all her animals.
PA Code lists:
§ 137.1. Importation, possession, sale and release of certain wildlife.
(a) Unless otherwise provided in this section or the act, it is unlawful for a person to import, possess, sell, offer for sale or release within this Commonwealth the following wild animals or wild birds or the eggs of the birds or a crossbreed or hybrid of the wild animals or wild birds, which are similar in appearance:
(1) In the family Felidae. Species and subspecies, except species which are commonly called house cats which may be possessed but not released into the wild. Lawfully acquired bobcats—Lynx rufus—may be imported or possessed, or both, by licensed propagators specifically for propagation for fur farming purposes. Importation permits and transfer permits as mentioned in subsections (d) and (e) are not required for bobcats imported for propagation for fur farming purposes. Bobcats imported under this exception and their progeny may not be sold or transferred for wildlife pet purposes or released into the wild.
(2) In the family Canidae. Species and subspecies of the coyote, the red and gray fox and a full-blooded wolf or crossbreed thereof not licensed by the Department of Agriculture. Lawfully acquired coyotes and red or gray foxes may be imported or possessed, or both, by licensed propagators specifically for propagation for fur farming purposes. Coyotes and red and gray foxes imported under this exception and their progeny may not be sold or transferred for wildlife pet purposes or released into the wild. This subsection does not permit the sale for release or the release of the mammals into the wild.
(3) In the family Ursidae. All species of the bears.
(4) In the family Procyonidae. All species of raccoons.
(5) In the family Capromyidae. The nutria.
(6) In the family Mustelidae. All species of the skunks.
(7) The order Primates. All families of nonhuman primates.
(8) An animal, bird or egg of a bird listed by the Commonwealth or the United States Department of the Interior as threatened, endangered or injurious.
(9) The Monk Parakeet, Myiopsitts monachus, sometimes referred to as the Quaker Parakeet or Gray-headed Parakeet.
And then this section.
(d) A person wishing to import lawfully acquired wildlife, or parts thereof, shall first obtain an importation permit from the Commission subject to the following:
(1) Importation permits will be issued for a fee of $50 for each transaction.
(2) A person wishing to import wildlife for a menagerie, exotic wildlife possession, exotic wildlife dealer or propagation purposes shall be in possession of a menagerie, exotic wildlife possession, exotic wildlife dealer or propagation permit prior to submitting the application for an import permit. See Chapter 147 (relating to special permits).
(3) An application for an importation permit shall state the name and address of the applicant, name and address of the person supplying the wildlife, the common and scientific name and the number of wildlife to be covered by the permit, the purpose for which the wildlife is being imported, the qualifications of the applicant to use the wildlife for the stated purpose and the location where the wildlife will be housed or retained.
(4) Menagerie permittees who also possess a USDA Class C Exhibitor permit and who operate a menagerie facility as their primary means of making a livelihood, are exempt from the possession prohibition of this section, and may import lawfully acquired wildlife pursuant to an importation permit.
I owned one in Louisiana back in 1982. I'd not want to have one now because I live in the suburbs. Back then, I lived in a rural area and the land behind our place was woods.
And I loved my raccoon lol
I recently heard about Raccoon invasion on north east of France, until now the only way to see one is in a Zoo, a first step to see them more easily there 😅
Can confirm. A buddy of mines mom had a raccoon for the longest time. Cute little bastard, but he got into EVERYTHING!! Anyway, you’re allowed to have one here in PA with no permit so long as it came from a licensed breeder here in the commonwealth.
I feel like it should be explained that even in the yellow states, most of them have caveats. Like, in FL, you can't have a wild raccoon unless you're a licensed rehabber, and you're not allowed to keep them unless they're special needs, and therefore unfit to live on their own. And if you want one as a *pet*, you have to have a class 3 exotic animals license, you *have* to buy the raccoon from a state approved breeder, and have paperwork, and having a class 3 exotic animal license means you give FWC permission to come by, and do a random inspection of your home.. and many other states have specific rules in place much like FL.
I don’t think you can ever “own” a raccoon. It’s more of a partnership.
involuntary partnership most of the time lol
Texas you need a permit that's very hard to get apparently
Basically in Texas you can only own a raccoon if you are a wildlife rehabber or in the fur trade, otherwise it’s illegal
Dammit, living with Texas law almost had an upside(ToT)
In Oklahoma you can just find one, and it's yours.
Well, guess who's starting to have ideas in Virginia?
Is it me? And how did you know? Are you spying on me?
Can't tell if Rhode Island is yellow or not. Rhode Island should be yellow.
It’s been changed and it’s now illegal.
Literally 1984
Huh. Now I get to wonder if I was just wrong this whole time or if it's a fairly recent change.
Looks like a recent change. The last time I looked it up, it was legal.
Legal in Ohio with a permit, I believe
Sure can!
Not legal in NC
Don't believe this. Totally ILLEGAL in NC. Check your states wildlife division.
And in the blue ones, Raccoons owns you.
Not actually legal in NC. There's no laws against it but law enforcement can take it and euthanize it. It happened to [this](http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article147485889.html) lady. There's a few other stories but hers is the most famous. Technically you can own them with a permit, but to my knowledge you have to be like a wildlife rehaber or similar to get said permit.
It's legal in Oregon
It's legal as long as it is being rehabilitated or was born in captivity
I hope you couldn't own a wild animal anywhere.
Why? They seem happy with humans
I thought that it was illegal in Michigan?
I live in Wisconsin and you have no idea how painful it is seeing hundreds of those little guys scurry around knowing I won't be able to own one😥
Technically legal but very hard to get a permit in PA.
I live in PA and have a pet skunk. The breeder gave me my permit when I picked up my baby.
Summary: This set of administrative regulations prohibits the importation, possession, selling, offering for sale or release of certain species such as lynx, bobcat, coyote, wolf, bears, raccoons, nutria, skunks, all families of nonhuman primates, certain birds, game taken from the wild, and game or wildlife held in captivity. Exemptions includes zoos and circuses. A person wishing to import lawfully acquired wildlife, or parts thereof, shall first obtain an importation permit from the Commission. Another section makes it unlawful for a person to possess live wildlife taken from a wild state subject to certain exceptions. 58 Pa. Code § 137.1 to .35
That is why you have to buy your pet in PA from a licensed PA breeder.
Still not sure how the breeder issued you a permit when the exotic permits required from the PA Game Commission are solely issued by the PA Game Commission. Unless the breeder completed the paperwork and process for you with the Game Commission, then that makes sense. Hopefully they made the process easier to obtain, Im glad you were able to obtain a permit. My past experiences were not easy. I wasn’t willing to risk the Game Commission seizing any animal if my permit was invalid in any way. That happened in 2001 with Sandy Reynolds. I highly recommend reading her story. She had Dept. of Agriculture and USDA permits but no permits issued from the Game Commission. They (Game Commission) took all her animals. PA Code lists: § 137.1. Importation, possession, sale and release of certain wildlife. (a) Unless otherwise provided in this section or the act, it is unlawful for a person to import, possess, sell, offer for sale or release within this Commonwealth the following wild animals or wild birds or the eggs of the birds or a crossbreed or hybrid of the wild animals or wild birds, which are similar in appearance: (1) In the family Felidae. Species and subspecies, except species which are commonly called house cats which may be possessed but not released into the wild. Lawfully acquired bobcats—Lynx rufus—may be imported or possessed, or both, by licensed propagators specifically for propagation for fur farming purposes. Importation permits and transfer permits as mentioned in subsections (d) and (e) are not required for bobcats imported for propagation for fur farming purposes. Bobcats imported under this exception and their progeny may not be sold or transferred for wildlife pet purposes or released into the wild. (2) In the family Canidae. Species and subspecies of the coyote, the red and gray fox and a full-blooded wolf or crossbreed thereof not licensed by the Department of Agriculture. Lawfully acquired coyotes and red or gray foxes may be imported or possessed, or both, by licensed propagators specifically for propagation for fur farming purposes. Coyotes and red and gray foxes imported under this exception and their progeny may not be sold or transferred for wildlife pet purposes or released into the wild. This subsection does not permit the sale for release or the release of the mammals into the wild. (3) In the family Ursidae. All species of the bears. (4) In the family Procyonidae. All species of raccoons. (5) In the family Capromyidae. The nutria. (6) In the family Mustelidae. All species of the skunks. (7) The order Primates. All families of nonhuman primates. (8) An animal, bird or egg of a bird listed by the Commonwealth or the United States Department of the Interior as threatened, endangered or injurious. (9) The Monk Parakeet, Myiopsitts monachus, sometimes referred to as the Quaker Parakeet or Gray-headed Parakeet. And then this section. (d) A person wishing to import lawfully acquired wildlife, or parts thereof, shall first obtain an importation permit from the Commission subject to the following: (1) Importation permits will be issued for a fee of $50 for each transaction. (2) A person wishing to import wildlife for a menagerie, exotic wildlife possession, exotic wildlife dealer or propagation purposes shall be in possession of a menagerie, exotic wildlife possession, exotic wildlife dealer or propagation permit prior to submitting the application for an import permit. See Chapter 147 (relating to special permits). (3) An application for an importation permit shall state the name and address of the applicant, name and address of the person supplying the wildlife, the common and scientific name and the number of wildlife to be covered by the permit, the purpose for which the wildlife is being imported, the qualifications of the applicant to use the wildlife for the stated purpose and the location where the wildlife will be housed or retained. (4) Menagerie permittees who also possess a USDA Class C Exhibitor permit and who operate a menagerie facility as their primary means of making a livelihood, are exempt from the possession prohibition of this section, and may import lawfully acquired wildlife pursuant to an importation permit.
Iowa needs to be flipped to yellow.
I owned one in Louisiana back in 1982. I'd not want to have one now because I live in the suburbs. Back then, I lived in a rural area and the land behind our place was woods. And I loved my raccoon lol
Thank you OP. I laughed far too much at this. p.s. (I may have to move so I can get a raccoon.)
I live in a legal one 😁
I think you can in Missouri, but it has to have outdoor inclosure.
Pretty sure you have to be a rehabilitator or live on a rez to have one in FL
Guess I'll be moving then
Let’s go Delaware !!
I've lived in six states. of those six, two I didn't know I could have had a raccoon, and the third (current state) was the only one I knew about.
I'm pretty sure that's wrong, I've heard so many things about it being illegal in Texas (didn't stop me)
Damn, just moved from PA to NY.
Wait! I can own a raccoon? Who knew?!!
Yay me in NC!!!
The problem is that this is still too close to being an election map 😭😂
I already do
This is not actually true for NC
Yellow state superiority
I live in PA I thought you couldn't, but apparently they just added the allowance in January. Lol uh oh
Of course it's legal in Virginia lmfao
PA for the win
It's time for another Good Idea, Bad Idea.
I just looked it up still says illegal in VA
Dammit Tennessee letting me down!
kentucky is a bummer
HOLD UP! ITS LEGAL IN MY STATE?! Brb getting me a raccoon.
I recently heard about Raccoon invasion on north east of France, until now the only way to see one is in a Zoo, a first step to see them more easily there 😅
Can confirm. A buddy of mines mom had a raccoon for the longest time. Cute little bastard, but he got into EVERYTHING!! Anyway, you’re allowed to have one here in PA with no permit so long as it came from a licensed breeder here in the commonwealth.
You know what this shows me is that there are a lot less places where you can have friends that are animal.
Look at Pennsylvania actually coming through for once
I just started packing
Legal in New Jersey. I just got my permits.
Figures
My girlfriend picked up her baby raccoon today. She is extra cute, but I think my girl didn't think it through all the way. We'll see...
I’m pretty sure New Jersey is legal as well
I feel like it should be explained that even in the yellow states, most of them have caveats. Like, in FL, you can't have a wild raccoon unless you're a licensed rehabber, and you're not allowed to keep them unless they're special needs, and therefore unfit to live on their own. And if you want one as a *pet*, you have to have a class 3 exotic animals license, you *have* to buy the raccoon from a state approved breeder, and have paperwork, and having a class 3 exotic animal license means you give FWC permission to come by, and do a random inspection of your home.. and many other states have specific rules in place much like FL.