Last week we learned about this extremely common animal found in Iowa that is illegal to keep as a pet. I'm curious if this common animal would also be illegal. In Iowa, you'll find two breeds of this animal and in cartoons, they're commonly known for being the bad guy. You can find these all across the state of Iowa as they mostly live in forests and grasslands.

Everyone once in a while someone will post a video of one of these walking through their yard on their neighborhood ring app. Just last week someone posted a video of one of these little guys walking along their fence line. It was pretty cool to see as I haven't seen many of these in the wild in real life. I was wondering, can you own a pet fox if you want in Iowa?

Unsplash - Dusan Veverkolog
Unsplash - Dusan Veverkolog
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According to Iowa DNR, there are more than 20 species of foxes that are spread out throughout the world. You can find foxes in Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia. In Iowa, you'll find the common red fox and if you're lucky, you may come across the gray fox. The gray fox is the only member of the Canidae family (dog-like) that can climb trees.

Did you know foxes can live for a really long time, while in captivity? According to the Iowa DNR, a fox can live for 20 years in captivity, however, the average lifespan for a fox in the wild is closer to 3 years. Throughout the midwest, gray fox populations have drastically decreased and the reason for this is undetermined.

I was wondering about fox ownership as I have a friend who has taken care of two foxes before. On her Instagram, she posts photos of these 2 pet foxes all the time. She doesn't live in the state of Iowa so I wanted to know which states you can legally own a pet fox.

According to World Population Review, there are actually quite a few states where having a pet fox is perfectly legal, as long as you have a permit in a state where it is required. Some states do not require a permit of any kind. Out of the 16 states, is Iowa one of them?

Unsplash - Qijin Xu
Unsplash - Qijin Xu
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Can You Legally Own A Fox in Iowa?

You can not legally own a pet fox of any kind in the state of Iowa. According to The Artful Fox, Iowa bans ownership of certain "dangerous wild animals" which includes the Canidae family. This would also mean you cannot own wolves, coyotes, and jackals.

If you'd like to own a pet fox, you'll have to move to Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahomo, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, or Wyoming.

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