Is It Legal To Keep A Squirrel As A Pet In Minnesota?

If you found an abandoned baby squirrel in Minnesota would it even be legal to keep it and raise it as a pet?

There are 5 main types of squirrels in Minnesota. They are the Red Squirrel, Gray Squirrel, Northern Flying Squirrel, Fox Squirrel, and the Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel.

So if you found a sickly baby squirrel in Minnesota and nursed it back to full health could you keep it and raise it as your family pet?

The short answer to that is NO.

Under Minnesota law, individuals are prohibited from engaging in certain activities involving protected wild animals, such as taking, purchasing, selling, transporting, or possessing them, unless such activities are permitted by the state's game and fish regulations.

The law establishes that all wild animals are considered property of the state, except for those that have been legally obtained through proper channels in accordance with the game and fish laws.

There are, however, 10 states where you can own a pet squirrel with no paperwork or permits required.

• Arkansas
• Idaho
• Louisiana
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wyoming