Is it legal to own a raccoon as a pet in Michigan?

There is no legal way to obtain a raccoon in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR does not recommend or encourage having raccoons or wild animals of any type as a pet.

The fuzzy yet agile racoons that live in a park near your house or dig through your neighborhood's garbage might seem like a good pet. But are they legal to domesticate in Michigan?

Here's what to know.

Is it legal to own a raccoon as a pet in Michigan?

The short answer: No, but there's more to it.

There is no legal way to obtain a raccoon, said Casey Reitz, the wildlife permit programs coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

"It is not legal to take racoons from the wild or import them from another state/country," Reitz said in an email to the Free Press.