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Bill to permit possession of rehabilitated squirrel, raccoon pets draws strong opposition from Fish & Game and animal welfare groups
Summary
Representative Jim Splane's HB 251 would permit possession of rehabilitated gray squirrels and raccoons determined unreleasable. Fish & Game and animal‑welfare organizations testified the measure raises public‑health, welfare, and enforcement concerns; committee comments focused on vaccine rules, quarantine, and existing rehabilitation practice.
Representative Jim Splane introduced HB 251 to authorize possession of raccoons and gray squirrels as companion animals when a licensed wildlife rehabilitator determines the individual animal cannot survive in the wild.
Proponents said the change would allow rehabilitators to place unreleasable animals in permanent homes instead of euthanizing them. Splane and cosponsors said their intent was to avoid forcing licensed rehabilitation facilities into the choice of keeping animals indefinitely or euthanizing them after…
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