Is It Legal To Own A Pet Bear In Minnesota Or Wisconsin?

Bears are my favorite animal. However, that doesn't mean that I would want to get close to one or that I would want one as a pet. There are probably people that do want one as a pet.

While I won't judge people for their pet preferences, it got me thinking if this would even be legal? There are a lot of weird ordinances and laws when it comes to different states that seem like they would be irrelevant or nonexistent.

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For example, after a few random kangaroo sightings in Wisconsin, I looked into different kangaroo laws. (Yes, these exist). It turns out, you can own one in parts of the Cheesehead State, along with a handful of other states.

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So what is the case when it comes to bears? Obviously, none of us are going to own a grizzly bear as a pet or even attempt that. Oddly enough though, there are a few states where you can own a bear!

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Minnesota is not one of those states. It is prohibited under Minnesota Law 346.155, which states that no resident can own 'exotic cats, bears and non-human primates' along with any hybrids of these animals.

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What About Wisconsin?

In true Wisconsin fashion, they are one of six states where you can own a bear as long as you have a permit. Other states include Alabama, Nevada and Oklahoma. How this would even be possible, I don't know.

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That's not to say you should own one though. They belong in their own habitat, plus they are dangerous, even if they were just to be in your backyard. Plus, you'd have to feed them a lot. How about we just watch cute bear videos on repeat instead?

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Gallery Credit: Nicole Caldwell

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

Gallery Credit: Elena Kadvany