Unfortunately, legal exotic pet ownership is on the decline because it receives little support or cultural acceptance. Pet owners used to be allowed to own domesticated foxes in Virginia due to a loophole that was meant to make it legal for fur farmers, but this was reversed in 2017. Others make foxes legal to own in the state but illegal to import, and with no breeders in the state, this is the same thing as banning them. Some states appear to allow foxes with permits that they will not give you, such as Maine and Delaware. but you will be subjected to yearly inspections. You may be able to get a permit if you do exhibition at a library, school, media, ect. These facilities (sometimes this is a person’s house) often can get permits in most states. In this article a pet owner is NOT a USDA-licensed facility that does exhibition or educational work. Some states were inconclusive because they may allow foxes with a permit but this permit has been said to be difficult or impossible for a ‘pet owner’ to get. If your state is not on this list it’s likely that a fox species is not legal and to find out otherwise will require firm confirmation from a state official. This list is as inclusive as possible for states that allow any species of fox. States Not on the List and Permit Requirements for Pet Fox Species that are native to the United States often have different rules than exotic foxes. States where you can legally own a fox: Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Tennessee, and Wyoming. Approximately only 15 states allow some type of fox with or without a permit.Approximately 11 states require permits for the possession of at least one fox species that it allows.Approximately 13 states allow the private possession of fennec foxes.Approximately 14 states allow the private possession of red foxes.Many states’ regulations have been unchanged for years, however, it is not impossible for any of the below information to be incorrect, therefore if there is any confusion about the legality of an animal that you are serious about obtaining, you may need to verify that information by calling the proper governing bodies. The following information was gathered through the use of several resources with the hopes of finding the most current laws (this information was collected in November, 2018). Simply ask for the written laws pertaining to the ownership of exotic pets. Still, one must be careful not to invite consternation at the thought of someone trying to obtain a ‘dangerous wild animal’ that might lead to a ban where there previously wasn’t one. Before buying a fox, finding out your local laws is the first step before doing essential research to determine if a fox would make a good pet for you. Exotic pet laws change constantly, and just because something is legal in your state doesn’t mean it is legal in your city, town, or even neighborhood association. In order ensure that a fox is legal to own where you live, you must do your own research by calling state officials. Most people think that foxes belong in a zoo or in the wild, and this sentiment often contributes to states, cities, and towns pushing to ban alternative pets. This is mostly due to a bias against ‘unusual’ animals being kept as pets and the perception that owning anything other than a dog or cat is “unnecessary”. In a small number of states, certain fox species are legal as pets, although most officials will try to discourage it.