In Missouri, an individual who finds an injured fox, squirrel, or raccoon, under law cannot care for and raise the animal.  But buy the same animal from a breeder - online ads sell raccoons for as much as $400 each - and the law says the animal is yours.

If the concern is that raccoons - or other wildlife - may pose a health hazard, why are purchased animals considered ok, but not ones taken from the wild even after given a clean bill of health from a vet? 

It has nothing to do with the protection of the animal - or even of people. It’s the law there that permits are only issued to those who buy wildlife.  From breeders.  

In April, Tammy Palmer took in a baby raccoon, just four days old.  She researched how to care for the little raccoon whose eyes weren’t even open yet. She read online that raccoons can be kept as long as she’d get a permit. So she bottle fed the baby raccoon and named her Chitter.

Chitter was well-fed and cared for. Palmer took her to the vet for immunizations. Chitter was taught how to use a litter box and learned what “no” and “good girl” meant.  The raccoon had toys to play with, and was sister to the family cat. She was loved.

But before Palmer applied for a permit, the Missouri Department of Conservation discovered she had Chitter, and told her permits are issued only to animals bought from a legitimate store.  Chitter was taken away, leaving Tammy Palmer heartbroken. The raccoon just turned six months old and was taken from the only family she had ever known. 

Missouri’s wildlife code permits include pages and pages of permits allowing people to hunt, trap and kill animals. Yet they don’t offer a permit for taking care of an animal, unless you BUY IT. (3 CSR 10-9.420(1))

So if she had doled out $400 to a breeder, there would be no problem. Why is wildlife being sold anyway? The law isn’t against keeping these animals, it’s against keeping those not bought from a breeder. If there is proof the animal is under a vets care, why can’t someone like Palmer keep her little raccoon? Palmer explained, “The guy told us that it was best if we let her die at 4 days old out in the wild than to care for her.”

Please add your signature to this petition if you believe Missouri law should be changed to allow Class I wildlife (mammals include raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, deer, foxes, weasels, badgers and armadillos) to be cared for and kept by individuals instead of letting injured animals or orphaned babies die.

Palmer states it best: “What I am concerned about is our wildlife animals being left as babies out in the wild without a concern on their life and well being. People with this concern have lost their rights to help and love our outside wild life animals. And in doing so... the animals have lost their rights as well. The law on an animal being bought in order to be loved and cared for is inhumane. Please help to change the laws for our wild life animals.”

Read more:  http://www.examiner.com/article/in-missouri-you-can-raise-wildlife-but-only-if-you-buy-from-breeder-petition

See the Department of Conservation wildlife code here. 

Photo courtesy of Tammy Palmer

This petition will be updated as more information becomes available; however, the intent will remain the same. Please see updates under "News" section below.