It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Tennessee with a permit, as long as the animal is purchased from a USDA licensed breeder. The foxes must be captive born and cannot be taken from the wild. 

If you want a pet red fox in Tennessee, you must have a Wildlife Possession Permit for Class II animals. The permit is $31 and must be renewed yearly. If you are purchasing a red fox from an approved facility from another state, you will need to get an importation permit. The importation permit costs $31, is valid for 30 days, and does not need to be renewed once the animal is imported. 

It is illegal to keep wild born red foxes in the state of Tennessee. It is also federally illegal to purchase a red fox from a breeder who is not USDA registered. 

For more information on wildlife possession permits in Tennessee, visit the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency’s website.