Do Raccoons Make Good Pets? The Legality and Ethics of These Furry Bandits in Your Home

Raccoons: they're cute, they're mischievous, and they can provide hours of enjoyment when you're lucky enough to stumble across one in their natural environment.

These little woodland creatures are so endearing that people use their images to decorate everything from nurseries to gardens, adding a bit of whimsy to any space.

However, some people want to include raccoons in their lives, inviting these critters into their homes to live with them full-time.

Can you have a raccoon as a pet? And if so, what do hopeful raccoon parents need to know before embarking on this new adventure? Keep reading as I break down what you need to know about trying to domesticate raccoons below.

Simply put, having a raccoon as a pet depends on where you live. The World Population Review website says this is good news for folks living in:

• Wyoming
• South Dakota
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Wisconsin
• Illinois
• Arkansas
• Michigan
• Indiana
• Ohio
• West Virginia
• Tennessee
• Vermont
• Rhode Island
• New Jersey
• Delaware
• South Carolina
• Florida

In addition to state laws, you'll need to double-check the laws and regulations about domestic raccoons in your local municipality.

The World Population Review website notes that some areas may require you to have a wild animal permit. There may be specific rules about how to adopt a raccoon, and some areas may only allow you to add a raccoon to your family if it comes from a specific type of rescue operation.

While raccoons are known for making mischief out in the wild, it's a whole different story when they're getting into things inside your home, which is why you should also consider whether or not having a raccoon as a pet will work with your lifestyle.

The Critter Control website notes that raccoons require a lot of attention, which means they won't be a good fit if you cannot interact with them for several hours each day.

Additionally, these furry critters can be unpredictable. While they may seem content and cuddly in one moment, they can quickly turn aggressive in the next, which makes it hard to have them around as pets, especially if you have small children or other animals in your home.

The Critter Control website notes that people who try to keep raccoons in their homes can expect to deal with a lot of destruction by way of their claws and teeth, which may mean everything from scratched sofas to gnawed on chair legs.

The most important question to consider when asking yourself whether a raccoon would make a good pet is whether having one in your home will benefit the raccoon. Despite their cuddly appearance and intriguing nature, raccoons are wild animals, and their needs are almost impossible for a human to meet from inside a house.

As such, they should be left to live their lives in the great outdoors where they belong, and where they can get the most enjoyment out of their lives as possible.