Owning a pet raccoon could soon become a little easier for residents of Tennessee under a bill advancing in the state legislature.
The proposed law would reduce one of the legal barriers to keeping the wild animal as a household pet and waive the state permit fee currently required for people who legally obtain a domesticated raccoon.
Why It Matters
While the proposal only removes a permit fee, some animal experts are warning that even modest reductions in barriers could lead more people to acquire animals that are difficult to care for safely.
Wildlife advocates stress that raccoons are not traditional pets and can pose risks to both owners and the broader community, particularly if bites or disease exposure occur. Once a raccoon bites a person, the animal often must be euthanized and tested for rabies, a reality that rescue groups say already happens frequently when owners are unprepared for the challenges of keeping the animals.
What To Know
The legislation, sponsored by Republican Senator Joey Hensley in the Senate and Representative Kip Capley in the House, does not legalize the capture of wild raccoons or eliminate state oversight. Instead, it removes the permit fee associated with owning a raccoon that has been legally bred and properly documented.
Lawmakers backing the bill say the change is meant to simplify the process for people who already want to own raccoons obtained through legal breeders, not animals captured from the wild.
Under the bill, raccoons would still need to be obtained from a legal source, such as a licensed breeder. And the animals would still need to meet state requirements related to vaccination and permitting through the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Wild raccoons captured from nature would remain illegal to keep as pets.
According to Hensley, the bill was prompted by a constituent request and evolved during the legislative process. An earlier version of the proposal would have allowed people to rescue raccoons from the wild, but that language was removed. The final version focuses only on domesticated animals already allowed under Tennessee law.
The bill passed the Tennessee Senate unanimously and continues to move through the House, where supporters say interest among residents has been significant.
Animal welfare advocates and wildlife experts have raised concerns, cautioning that raccoons are not traditional pets and can pose challenges for owners and public health officials.
They say that raccoons can be destructive, difficult to train, and may carry diseases that require euthanasia and testing if a human bite occurs.
While the bill does not change health or vaccination rules, critics argue that reducing the cost of ownership could encourage more people to acquire raccoons without fully understanding the risks.
“They deserve their freedom and they deserve their lives out in the wild, but they don’t belong in your kitchen,” wildlife rescue expert Juniper Russo told News Channel 9.
What People Are Saying
Republican Senator Joey Hensley in the Senate said at a committee hearing: “It allows someone to possess a raccoon that they have obtained from a breeder, not a wild raccoon. They still have to get a permit.”
Wildlife expert Juniper Russo told News Channel 9: “People get them, and they think that they’re going to act like a cat or dog, or they’ve got like a Disney movie kind of fantasy… They’re destructive. They bite. They don’t tend to fully house train. They’re not this perfect fantasy pet that I think a lot of people envision.”
What Happens Next
If the bill clears the remaining steps in the House and is signed into law, it would take effect later this year. Other requirements for raccoon ownership would remain unchanged.
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