Quick Take
- Tennessee's new raccoon law sounds like a win for animal lovers, but that impression changes once you see what it actually demands of owners. See the full requirements →
- The agency that issues raccoon permits has a clear, surprising opinion on whether you should actually get one. See the TWRA's stance →
- One overlooked step in the ownership process is the biggest obstacle standing between you and a legal pet raccoon. Find the hidden obstacle →
- Raccoons may look adorable, but their behavior at a certain life stage changes everything about owning one. Learn about raccoon behavior →
When you think of household pets, raccoons are not typically the first animal that comes to mind. However, the state of Tennessee has recently changed its laws, making it a bit easier to legally own one of these animals. A news story from WSMV covers this change in Tennessee’s law.
While raccoons are adorable, they can be difficult to raise as pets due to their territorial nature, which can get aggressive.
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How to Get a Pet Raccoon
Tennessee has made a small adjustment to its legal code that may make it easier to own a pet raccoon. However, this does not mean that you can simply take a raccoon from the wild and own it as a pet. The legislative change is SB 2354 / HB 2499, which became Public Chapter 809. Having taken effect on July 1 of this year, the new law allows someone to possess a qualifying raccoon without paying a $31 personal-possession permit fee.
There are several requirements that you have to meet. This includes legally obtaining the racoon (not capturing it from the wild) and having it vaccinated. A Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency possession permit must be issued for it as well. Despite the excitement for animal lovers, the TWRA does not recommend owning a raccoon as a pet. These animals are often territorial and aggressive as they reach sexual maturity, despite how cute they may be.
So how would you get your hands on a raccoon? The legal framework to possess one can be difficult. A legal owner needs to obtain one from a legal captive source. Legal documentation is also required to establish where the animal came from. As stated above, you will also need the proper TWRA possession permit. So, while the new laws relax regulations a bit, the process to own a raccoon is still lengthy and difficult to manage. Owning a raccoon is challenging because they are generally not suited to be pets. As wild animals, they can tear through and destroy your home.
