While bears look cute and cuddly, make no mistake, they can, and in all likeliness WILL rip your head off.

Even with that being true, some people choose to own them as pets. Take a look:

Owning A Bear?

Should you own a bear as a pet? --Probably not. Could you own a bear as a pet? --  Well, let’s find out.

Maybe you wanna start your own zoo, maybe you’re just a psychopath. Whatever your desire to own a bear, here's what you need to know about the legalities.

According to appeal.org, you can actually own a bear in North Dakota, if you so choose. That said, you will need a couple of things. 

What You Need

You will need a certificate of veterinarian inspection, and a "nontraditional livestock auction" permit.

In North Dakota, they put exotic animals into different categories for permits. Category one is smaller animals like hedgehogs, chinchillas, rabbits, and pigeons; for the most part, you don't need a permit for those animals.

Category two has animals like Wolverines, and foxes in it. In category three, there are bears, wolves, and big cats.

For the most part, I'm sure the expectation is that these animals are being acquired for zoos and farms, but it doesn’t specifically say that’s where these animals need to go.

So, can you own a bear in North Dakota? -- Technically, yes.

You can legally own a bear in North Dakota, but you certainly can’t do it within city limits. ...Imagine it breaks out of your backyard and starts roaming around town. PANIC ensues, as it should. 


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