Are Red Foxes Legal In My State?
We here at Exotic Pet Wonderland understand how hard it can be to get straight info on the legality of exotic pet ownership, so we’ve created this list to more easily answer the question “Are red foxes legal pets in my state?”
Are red foxes legal pets in Alabama?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Alabama.
Alabama law states that “No person, firm, corporation, partnership or association may possess, sell, offer for sale, bring, release, or cause to be brought or imported into the State of Alabama” any species of fox.
Are red foxes legal pets in Alaska?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Alaska.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game states that “The native (indigenous) fish and wildlife of Alaska are a public resource. You may not cage or fence in a wild creature and try to make it your pet, even if you think it is a juvenile that has been abandoned. It is illegal for citizens to possess or export native Alaska species as pets.”
Even if the fox is captive bred, the state of Alaska will not issue you a permit to possess a fox as it is not listed in section (b) of regulation 5 AAC 92.029.
Are red foxes legal pets in Arizona?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Arizona. (ARIZ. COMP. ADMIN R. & REGS. R12-4-406; R12-4-409; R12-4-417; R12-4-425; R12-4-426)
Are red foxes legal pets in Arkansas?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Arkansas.
After July 1st 2022, you can no longer take Red Foxes from the wild in Arkansas.
As long as the animal was taken before July 1st 2022, you can keep a pet red fox if they are taken “by hand” from the wild in Arkansas.
Once taken, the fox must remain in the owner’s custody. The fox cannot be sold or rehomed. If the owner wishes to get rid of the fox, it can only be turned over to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Males and females foxes are required to be kept in separate enclosures unless they have been neutered. These foxes may only leave the state with permission from the Chief of Wildlife Management.
As far as captive bred red foxes, Arkansas state law states “Individuals may purchase and own up to six per household of captive-born, commercially obtained native wildlife species, including Red Foxes, as personal pets. Animals must have been purchased from a Commission-permitted Wildlife Breeder/Dealer, brought into Arkansas with a Wildlife Importation Permit, or purchased from a legal owner that registered the sale with the Commission. Owners must have proof of legal ownership. Males and females must be kept in separate pens unless they have been neutered to prevent reproduction. Although breeding of pets held under this regulation is illegal, owners may sell up to 20 individual animals per calendar year without obtaining a Wildlife Breeder/Dealer permit. Such sales need to be registered with the Commission.”
It is still illegal to purchase from breeders who are not USDA permitted, and federally illegal and considered wildlife trafficking to sell red foxes without a USDA permit.
Are red foxes legal pets in California?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in California.
California law states that it is illegal to import, possess, or transport red foxes unless permitted by the California Department of Fish and Game
Are red foxes legal pets in Colorado?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Colorado. This is what will happen if you have a pet fox in Colorado.
Are red foxes legal pets in Connecticut?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Connecticut.
Red Foxes are considered “potentially dangerous animals” in Connecticut and as such, are illegal.
Conneticut state law says “Any such animal illegally possessed may be ordered seized and may be relocated or disposed of as determined by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. The Department of Environmental Protection shall issue a bill to the owner or person in illegal possession of such potentially dangerous animal for all costs of seizure, care, maintenance, relocation or disposal of such animal. Additionally, any person who violates any provision of this section shall be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed two thousand dollars, to be fixed by the court, for each offense.
Are red foxes legal pets in Delaware?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Delaware, as long as you have a permit obtained by paying a fee and passing an inspection, and the animal is purchased from a USDA licensed breeder.
The permit application can be found here. The inspection process includes ensuring you have a proper primary and secondary enclosure, and to determine your knowledge about the species. More information can be found on the website of Delaware’s Department of Agriculture.
Delaware exotic pet permits must be renewed every three years.
Are red foxes legal pets in Florida?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Florida with a Class III Personal Pet No-Cost Permit when the animal is purchased from a USDA permitted breeder.
You can apply for the permit here, and it must be renewed every two years. You may NOT bring your pet red fox out in public with this license. More information about the Class III permit can be found here.
Taking red foxes from the wild is illegal in Florida. It is federally illegal to sell red foxes without a permit from the USDA and is considered wildlife trafficking.
Are red foxes legal pets in Georgia?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Georgia.
Are red foxes legal pets in Hawaii?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Hawaii.
https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/AR-71P.pdf
Are red foxes legal pets in Idaho?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Idaho.
Are red foxes legal pets in Ilinois?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Illinois with a fur-bearing mammal breeder permit when the animal is purchased from a USDA breeder.
The fur-bearing mammal breeder permit can be found here, is $25.50, and must be renewed yearly. While this permit allows the holder to sell red foxes, it is still federally illegal and considered a wildlife crime to sell red foxes without a USDA license.
Are red foxes legal pets Indiana?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Indiana with a Class II Wild Animal Possession permit when the animal is purchased from a USDA permitted breeder.
Indiana’s Class II Wild Animal Possession Permit for red foxes can be found here. The permit is $20 and must be renewed annually. In order to renew your permit for a pet red fox in Indiana after the first year, you must provide proof your animal has been seen by a veterinarian, is properly vaccinated, and is being properly cared for at home.
More information on the permitting process for keeping a pet red fox in Indiana can be found here
Are red foxes legal pets Iowa?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Iowa.
Are red foxes legal pets in Kansas?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Kansas.
https://sos.ks.gov/publications/pubs_kar_Regs.aspx?KAR=28&Srch=Y
Are red foxes legal pets Kentucky?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Kentucky.
https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Pages/Transportation-and-Holding-of-Live-Exotic-Wildlife.aspx
Are red foxes legal pets in Louisiana?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Louisiana.
Are red foxes legal pets in Maine?
Coming Soon.
Are red foxes legal pets in Maryland?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Maryland.
https://www.animallaw.info/statute/md-exotic-pets-subtitle-6-crimes-relating-animals
Are red foxes legal pets in Massachusetts?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Massachusetts.
Are red foxes legal pets in Michigan?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Michigan with a permit to hold game in captivity when the fox is purchased from a permitted USDA breeder.
The permit to hold game in captivity, which is required for a pet fox in Michigan, can be found here. The permit is $45 and needs to be renewed every three years on or before June 30th of the third year.
At one point, pet fox permits in Michigan were only required for wild and silver colored foxes. This is no longer the case and Michigan state law states that “all color phases” of red fox require a permit. More information on permits to hold game in captivity can be found here.
It is illegal to keep red foxes from the wild as pets in Michigan.
Are red foxes legal pets in Minnesota?
Coming Soon
Are red foxes legal pets in Mississippi?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Mississippi, as the state will not issue permits for any native foxes to be kept as pets.
Are red foxes legal pets in Missouri?
It is technically legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Missouri however there is no legal way to acquire one.
Are red foxes legal pets in Montana?
Coming Soon
Are red foxes legal pets in Nebraska?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Nebraska with a captive wildlife permit when purchased from a USDA licensed breeder.
The permit to keep a red fox as a pet in Nebraska costs $33 and can be found here. The permit must be acquired BEFORE you obtain the fox.
Nebraska’s Game and Parks website states “Before a permit is issued a Conservation Officer will come to your property and inspect pens or enclosures to ensure there is adequate shelter and structures for the animals you wish to acquire. After you pass inspection, a permit will be issued and you can purchase the animals you indicated you want to raise.”
Are red foxes legal pets in Nevada?
It is not legal to keep a fox as a pet in Nevada.
Are red foxes legal pets in New Hampshire?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in New Hampshire.
https://www.animallaw.info/administrative/nh-exotic-pets-part-fis-804-possession-wildlife
Are red foxes legal pets in New Jersey
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in New Jersey.
https://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/permregs.pdf
Are red foxes legal pets in New Mexico?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in New Mexico.
https://www.nmlegis.gov/sessions/99%20Regular/FinalVersions/SB0287.html
Are red foxes legal pets in New York?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in New York (both the state and the city.)
Are red foxes legal pets in North Carolina?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in North Carolina.
https://www.ncwildlife.org/Licensing/Other-Licenses-and-Permits/Wildlife-Captivity-License
Are red foxes legal pets in North Dakota?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in North Dakota without a permit as long as the fox does not have a wild-red type color morph and the fox has been purchased from a USDA licensed breeder.
A Permit to Possess, Propagate, or Domesticate is required for wild type. We will have more information soon.
Are red foxes legal pets in Ohio?
Red foxes are legal to keep as pets in Ohio with a permit and when purchased from a USDA licensed breeder.
A non-commercial wild animal propagation permit must be obtained in order to keep a pet fox in Ohio. The permit is $25 and can be found here. You can legally keep up to four captive bred red foxes in Ohio.
It is illegal to sell or trade red foxes in Ohio without a permit, and federally illegal to sell or trade red foxes without a permit as well.
Are red foxes legal pets in Oklahoma?
Red Foxes are legal to keep as pets in Oklahoma with a permit and when purchased from a USDA licensed breeder.
In order to keep a red fox as a pet in Oklahoma, you need to obtain a non-commercial breeder’s permit, which can be found here. The permit is $48 and needs to be renewed annually by July 1st. You must have an inspection done by a game warden before obtaining your foxes.
You may not legally sell or trade red foxes without a permit from the USDA.
Are red foxes legal pets in Oregon?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Oregon.
Are red foxes legal pets in Pennsylvania?
Coming Soon
Are red foxes legal pets in Rhode Island?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island law states that “All exotic and native wild animals and hybrids of
the order Carnivora for which there is no USDA conditionally licensed or
unconditionally licensed rabies vaccine are expressly prohibited from importation
or possession without the issuance of a valid permit by the Department.
Possession is restricted to bona fide researchers, USDA licensed exhibitors
authorized to possess animals of this order for short-term exhibition purposes,
and Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) certified facilities.”
Are red foxes legal pets in South Carolina?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in the state of South Carolina.
South Carolina law states that it is illegal to import, export, and/or possess a red fox. If you are found keeping a red fox as a pet in the state of South Carolina, you will be charged with a misdemeanor and can be fined up to $1000 per animal and sentenced to up to 6 months in jail per animal.
Are red foxes legal pets in South Dakota?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in South Dakota with a permit.
More information is coming soon.
Are red foxes legal pets in Tennessee?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Tennessee with a permit when 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 not legal to keep wild-born red foxes in the state of Tennessee.
For more information on wildlife possession permits in Tennessee, visit the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency’s website.
Are red foxes legal pets in Texas?
It is not legal to keep red foxes as pets in Texas.
Are red foxes legal pets in Utah?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Utah as long as the fox was born and raised in captivity and is from a USDA licensed breeder.
No permit is required to keep a captive bred red fox in Utah, however many cities have bans on the ownership of red foxes.
Are red foxes legal pets in Vermont?
It is not legal to keep red foxes as pets in Vermont.
https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/10appendix/001/00018
Are red foxes legal pets in Virginia?
It is no longer legal to keep red foxes as pets in Virginia. However, if you legally obtained a captive bred red fox prior to July 1st 2017, you may keep the animal with a permit.
Virginia’s legal website states “ Domesticated red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) having coat colors distinguishable from wild red foxes and wild European rabbits possessed in captivity on July 1, 2017, may be maintained in captivity until the animal dies, but the animal may not be bred or sold without a permit from the department. Persons possessing domesticated red foxes or European rabbits without a permit from the department must declare such possession in writing to the department by January 1, 2018. This written declaration must include the number of individual animals in possession and date acquired, sex, estimated age, coloration, and a photograph of each fox or European rabbit. This written declaration shall (i) serve as a permit for possession only, (ii) is not transferable, and (iii) must be renewed every five years.”
Are red foxes legal pets in Washington State?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Washington state.
Are red foxes legal pets in West Virginia?
It is not legal to keep a red fox as a pet in West Virginia.
Are red foxes legal pets in Wisconsin?
It is legal to keep a red fox as a pet in Wisconsin with a permit as long as the animal is from a USDA permitted breeder.
In order to keep a pet red fox in Wisconsin, you need a Captive Wild Animal Farm license, which can be found here and must be renewed annually. More information on the regulations for owning a pet red fox in Wisconsin can be found here
Are red foxes legal pets in Wyoming?
Coming Soon
