This Pet Is Illegal To Own In North Dakota But Is Legal In SoDak

It's hard to believe it, but there are only TWO animals that the state of North Dakota forbids you to own.  They would be skunks and raccoons.  You can read all about that here.  That's right, you can own an alligator, venomous snakes, deer, a coyote, and even a bear?  You're all good in North Dakota.

You will need the proper permits and enclosure, but it is legal.  Again, the likelihood of it being legal in the city you are in?  Not very likely.  You better live in the country.

In South Dakota on the other hand, both of the two species forbidden in North Dakota are fair game as pets, according to South Dakota Laws.

We have a lake cabin in South Dakota and our next-door neighbors rescued a couple of baby raccoons whose mother was hit by a car and died.  These baby cooms were just days old when this happened earlier this spring. My neighbor who's in healthcare and an animal lover knew they wouldn't survive without their mother.  She did her homework, (consulting with a vet and zoo workers) and came up with a plan to raise these little cuties to an age when she can release them back into the wild.

We have got to spend some time with these animals on our last few trips to the lake and they have been the highlight of the trip.  Some of my friends on Facebook have been quick to warn me about rabies and how they can become problematic as pets.

I'm not an expert on raccoons but I can tell you from handling these young pups, that they are much like a dog.  They're playful (their little hands are a trip), they like to snuggle, and can be very affectionate.  Our neighbors aren't the only ones on the lake with a raccoon as a pet.  We saw another guy walking another coon down the street with a collar on it (so cure).

Funny, I talked to a listener in Beulah a couple of years ago that had a pet raccoon.  He found it as a baby, raised it and it became domesticated.  The coon even slept with him at night.  Keep in mind, that this is technically illegal in North Dakota.

Whether you think they are "trash pandas" or not, all I can say is that I'm so glad I got to experience what it's like to hold a raccoon.  Most in North Dakota never will.