By Bob Paterson No, you generally cannot simply capture or keep a raccoon as an ordinary household pet without authorization. Raccoons are classified as protected fur-bearing mammals under the Illinois Wildlife Code. A person who wants to lawfully hold or raise a live raccoon generally needs an appropriate Fur-bearing Mammal Breeder Permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Different rules apply to licensed wildlife rehabilitators and other specially authorized persons.
What Does Illinois Law Say About Owning a Raccoon?
The primary law is the Illinois Wildlife Code, 520 ILCS 5.
Illinois specifically lists the raccoon, Procyon lotor, as a fur-bearing mammal protected by the Wildlife Code. State law makes it unlawful to take, possess, sell, propagate, or release protected wild mammals contrary to the provisions of the Code.
Illinois therefore does not treat a wild raccoon in the same way it treats a dog, cat, or other ordinary domestic animal.
Section 520 ILCS 5/3.25 provides that a person who holds, possesses, breeds, or raises a live protected fur-bearing mammal must first obtain a Fur-bearing Mammal Breeder Permit from IDNR. The current IDNR licensing information specifically states that this permit is required for facilities possessing, breeding, or potentially selling fur-bearing mammals.
Can You Keep a Raccoon as a Pet With a Permit?
A qualifying IDNR permit can authorize possession of a live raccoon, but this should not be confused with an unrestricted right to keep wildlife as an ordinary pet.
A holder of a Fur-bearing Mammal Breeder Permit may legally possess, breed, raise, sell, or otherwise dispose of fur-bearing mammals held under the permit. The permit currently costs $25 annually and expires on March 31.
Permit holders must also maintain records concerning the acquisition, sale, or disposition of animals for two years. Those records must be available for inspection by IDNR personnel and law-enforcement officers.
Illinois wildlife authorities have consistently warned that protected wildlife generally cannot simply be kept as companion animals without appropriate authorization. Therefore, someone considering keeping a captive-reared raccoon should obtain the required IDNR authorization before acquiring the animal.
Can You Catch a Wild Raccoon and Keep It?
Catching a raccoon in the wild does not give a person the right to turn it into a pet.
Illinois hunting and trapping laws regulate when and how raccoons may legally be taken. A permit allowing possession of captive fur-bearing animals does not authorize a person to capture wild raccoons contrary to hunting, trapping, or other Wildlife Code provisions.
Section 3.25 specifically states that a fur-bearing mammal breeder permit does not give its holder authority to take fur-bearing mammals from the wild in violation of other Illinois laws.
Illinois guidance also states that protected live wildlife cannot simply be taken from the wild and retained alive outside authorized circumstances.
Therefore, finding a baby raccoon, trapping an adult raccoon in the yard, or capturing one during hunting season does not automatically allow someone to take the animal home and raise it as a pet.
What Should You Do With an Injured or Orphaned Raccoon?
An injured or orphaned raccoon should generally be turned over to an appropriately licensed wildlife rehabilitator rather than kept permanently by the person who found it.
Illinois wildlife rehabilitation is separately regulated. Licensed rehabilitators may temporarily possess protected wildlife for treatment and eventual release.
Raccoons receive particularly careful treatment because of concerns involving rabies and other wildlife diseases.
Under Illinois nuisance-wildlife regulations, a captured raccoon generally must be euthanized, released on the same property within 100 yards of where it was captured, or surrendered to a licensed veterinarian who is also a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for treatment and eventual release.
Someone who finds a young raccoon should therefore contact IDNR or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator rather than assuming that rescuing the animal creates ownership rights.
Can a Wildlife Rehabilitator Keep a Raccoon Permanently?
Wildlife rehabilitation permits are intended primarily for treatment and release, not for converting wildlife into permanent pets.
Illinois rules generally require rehabilitated wildlife to be returned to the wild when it is capable of surviving. Special rules apply when an animal cannot safely be released.
A rehabilitator’s temporary authority to possess a raccoon therefore does not automatically mean the animal can remain indefinitely as a household companion.
The purpose of wildlife rehabilitation is to return native wildlife to suitable habitat whenever possible.
Can You Buy a Captive-Bred Raccoon in Illinois?
Potentially, but the purchaser must still comply with Illinois possession requirements.
A person cannot avoid the Wildlife Code merely because the raccoon was bred in captivity instead of captured in Illinois.
The person possessing the live raccoon generally needs the applicable Fur-bearing Mammal Breeder Permit, and breeders must maintain records of where animals came from and where they were transferred.
Illinois law makes those records important. Failure to produce required acquisition or disposition documentation can serve as evidence that the animal is contraband.
Anyone considering acquiring a captive raccoon should therefore confirm both the seller’s legal status and the buyer’s own permit requirements before obtaining the animal.
Is a Raccoon Dog the Same as a Raccoon Under Illinois Law?
No. A raccoon dog is a completely different species.
Illinois specifically prohibits possessing, holding, releasing, or raising the raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides, sometimes called a finnraccoon. State law provides that no permit may be issued for possessing or raising this species.
An ordinary North American raccoon, Procyon lotor, is instead classified as a protected fur-bearing mammal for which regulated possession may be possible.
What Are the Penalties for Illegally Keeping a Raccoon?
Keeping protected wildlife without complying with the Illinois Wildlife Code can result in enforcement by conservation authorities.
When the Wildlife Code does not specify a different classification, violations are generally treated as petty offenses. A person found guilty of unlawfully possessing a protected species may also face additional civil wildlife penalties.
Animals held unlawfully may also be treated as contraband, particularly when the owner cannot document legal acquisition and possession.
Local city or county animal ordinances may impose additional restrictions, so an IDNR permit does not necessarily override every local rule governing wild or exotic animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I legally keep a raccoon as a pet in Illinois?
Keeping a raccoon without appropriate authorization is generally not legal. Because raccoons are protected fur-bearing mammals, lawful possession generally requires an IDNR Fur-bearing Mammal Breeder Permit or another applicable wildlife authorization.
Q2. Can I keep a baby raccoon that I find in my yard?
Finding an orphaned raccoon does not give you legal ownership of it. The appropriate course is generally to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who is authorized to care for the animal and release it when possible.
Q3. Can I buy a captive-bred raccoon from another person?
Potentially, but legal acquisition does not remove Illinois permit requirements. The animal’s origin should be documented, and the person keeping it generally needs the applicable IDNR authorization.
Q4. Do I need a permit to own a raccoon in Illinois?
Generally, yes. Illinois requires a Fur-bearing Mammal Breeder Permit before a person holds, possesses, breeds, or raises a protected live fur-bearing mammal such as a raccoon.