Where Can I Buy a Pet Raccoon?

Video Transcript

"Let's talk about where you can buy a pet raccoon. Now in most states, pet raccoons or raccoons in general are considered wildlife even if they're domestically bred. And so a breeder that's domestically breeding raccoons has to have a permit, and in some states can't anyway. And the same thing goes for purchasing one because you have to have a permit in most states even to purchase one. And so you have to check with your local wildlife agency to see if that's legal in the first place. Number two, states that it is legal to own or purchase a raccoon, and if you get a permit, generally there are going to be breeders that should be listed on line or you might even check with your wildlife agency. They may have some sort of research that can backtrack to domestically bred raccoon breeders. Now raccoons are very smart. They are mischievous in a way. They have a tendency to want to open things and get in to things because they can use their hands very well. And so raccoons, since they are still considered wildlife in most states, generally are not considered pets and don't make good raised pets. But check with your local wildlife laws and see if something like this is right for you and if you want to pursue it."