Is It Illegal In Illinois To Have A Pet Squirrel?

If you haven't seen the countless stories about Peanut the squirrel. You are lucky. It's a sad one. It has also become a big political talking point online.

The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation seized the squirrel Wednesday, along with Longo's pet raccoon named Fred.

Both pets were then euthanized. You can see more here. This got me thinking. Can the cops break into your home if you have a let squirrel?

There are actually a decent number of pets you can't have in Illinois.

Illegal Pets In Illinois

Obvious ones are big cats like lions, Tigers, Bobcat, Jaguar and more. Another obvious one is bears. We all saw those coming.

Some other ones that are also obvious, but might not be as well know are as follows,

• Capuchin Monkeys
• Gila Monsters (It's a lizard)
• Ocelot
• Lynx

For more information about rules and guide lines for these bigger wild animals click here. Now lets look at squirrels.

Is It Illegal In Illinois To Have A Pet Squirrel?

I just learned this today, you can't even trap or kill a squirrel in Illinois without a permit. You can learn more here.

It is illegal to have a pet squirrel in Illinois without a permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Nearly all wildlife in Illinois is protected under the Wildlife Code and cannot be held in captivity without a permit.

There you have it. Stay safe and get paper work, or else the Government will completely overreact and traumatize everyone. This story is sad from any way you look at it. Rip Fred and Peanut.