A U.S. state is making it easier for residents to open their doors to raccoons.
Through a bill that became law last month, Tennessee residents no longer need to pay a US$31 fee for a permit from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to adopt raccoons as a pet.
To keep a racoon, residents must obtain the animals legally, make sure they’re vaccinated, are not native to the area and were not taken from the wild.
The bill was introduced in February and sponsored by Sen. Joey Hensley and Rep. Kip Capley, both Republicans.
“You’d be surprised how many people in Tennessee have reached out and said, ‘We can’t wait for one of these. I’m so excited, thank you!’ Lots and lots. Hundreds, maybe thousands,” Tennessee State Rep. Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) told Nashville-based WKRN2 news in March.
It is illegal to capture a raccoon from the wild in Tennessee. The state’s wildlife authority advises against keeping them as pets, due to how territorial and aggressive they can be.
A 2025 study found that raccoons are evolving to become cuter and beginning the process of domestication. However, one academic suggested to CTV Toronto that the study might not map perfectly on to Canada, as she says raccoons are not hunted up north like they are in the U.S.
Raccoons are relatively intelligent animals who maintain a mixed reputation as mischievous, but loveable pests. Cities like Toronto, Seattle and Ashland, Va., have all celebrated local viral raccoons.
However, the animals can also carry rabies and other parasites, and can become extremely territorial and violent when they reach maturity.
Some cities have tried to develop trash bins specifically to counter the tricky critters, as they’ve been known to break into many containers. Nonetheless they’ve been celebrated in video games and photo contests.
Raccoons live across North America and are extremely adaptable to new and changing environments.
