Prompted by an incident in the Vernal area, the Division of Wildlife Resources is reminding citizens across the state that it is illegal to keep wildlife as pets. “It is illegal to hold any protected wildlife captive in Utah,” shares the DWR. “Protected wildlife includes a variety of species, including those you can hunt like deer, cottontail rabbits, several bird species, bears, cougars and others. The DWR oversees the management of these species throughout the state. Some wild animals are not protected under Utah state law, meaning you do not have to possess a valid hunting or trapping license to harvest them. However, there are different rules in order to keep one in your possession. Wild animals, like raccoons and coyotes, require a permit in order to house them in captivity. You may be written a citation for illegally possessing these animals, which is a Class B misdemeanor. The DWR confirmed that there was an incident of a raccoon being kept as a pet being confiscated this month in Vernal and this was not the first incident. In fact, it has been considered a huge issue here the past few years.
