Can You Have a Fox as a Pet? Legality, Ethics & Facts

Many people seem to be obsessed with having the most exotic, outlandish, and unique pets. Celebrities like Ice-T and Elvis Presley were known to keep interesting animals—sharks and monkeys, respectively—fueling the public’s love of exotic pets even more.

But one exotic pet that doesn’t seem quite as dangerous as a shark is a fox. The question is, though, can you own a fox as a pet? In the United States, some states allow you to keep a fox as a pet, but it’s definitely not the norm. If you’ve been considering cuddling up with your own fox cub, read on to find out if that’s a possibility.

Is It Legal to Own a Fox as a Pet?

The rules differ between the states that do allow foxes as pets, and the laws can even change depending on the species of fox you want to keep.¹

For example, red foxes are legal pets in 14 states. Fennec foxes, however, are only legal for private possession in 13 states. The rules regarding permits and more can change between fox species and usually affect exotic and native fox species in different ways.

States Where It’s Legal to Own a Fox as a Pet

Altogether, there are 15 states where it’s legal to own a fox in some capacity. The rules can change in every state and with each fox species, though. So, just because it might be legal to own a fox in your state, that doesn’t mean you can just go catch one in the wild and domesticate it. You’ll still need to check the laws in your specific state, county, and municipality.

States Where Fox Ownership Is a Gray Area

There are some states that technically allow you to keep a fox but essentially make it impossible to do so. For example, both Maine and Delaware legally let you keep foxes but refuse to issue the necessary permits. In other states, it’s legal to own a fox but illegal to import one. Chances are good that there aren’t any fox breeders within these states, making it practically impossible to legally own one.

Purchasing a Pet Fox or Catching One

Let’s say that you live in a state that allows foxes to be kept as pets. Can you go out and catch a fox to domesticate? Maybe not. In some states, such as Arkansas, you are allowed to catch foxes in the wild and domesticate them. But Arkansas is the exception, not the rule.

In many states, even though it’s legal to own a fox, you can’t just go out and catch one. That said, other states are the opposite. Kentucky, for example, allows you to own foxes, but you can’t legally import any of the fox species that are available in the pet trade. This means that if you want a pet fox in Kentucky, you pretty much have no choice but to catch it yourself.

The Rules Change Depending on the Fox Species

Even if foxes are legal to keep as pets in your state, you’ll need to be very careful about what type of fox you get. It might be the case that only certain species of fox are legal to keep and others will get you in trouble with a hefty fine or worse. In many states, the rules differ depending on whether the fox species is native or exotic.

So, before you go and catch a fox to bring home, do some research. Find out what species of foxes are legal to own in your state, if they’re legal to keep at all. Make sure you can identify different fox species and tell the differences between them. Then, be certain you only attempt to purchase fox that’s a legal species in your area. Remember, there are even stricter laws regarding the capture of wild animals, so if you plan to go that route, even more forethought will be necessary to ensure you remain within the boundaries of the law.

Special Exemptions

All the laws and rules discussed so far pertain to individual people who wish to keep foxes as personal pets. However, there are exceptions to these rules made for certain special groups.

For instance, groups that do educational exhibitions at different places like schools and libraries can often get special permits to keep a fox, even in places where it’s not legal under ordinary circumstances. In these cases, annual inspections are generally required.

Conclusion

If you wish to keep a fox in your family, you have to be lucky enough to live in one of the 15 states that allow the legal ownership of foxes as pets. You also have to  be in a state where it’s not incredibly difficult to get this animal.

If you manage to make your way past these hurdles, you can seek out a fox. But for most Americans, laws and regulations mean that fox ownership is likely out of reach unless they plan on moving in the near future.

Interesting Reads:

• Do Canadian Marble Foxes Make Great Pets?
• Are Foxes Related to Dogs?

Featured Image Credit: Pixabay