New Hampshire
Want to own a pet squirrel or raccoon? Some NH lawmakers want to make it legal
Peanut the squirrel was euthanized, now his owner wants answers
Mark Longo’s pet squirrel, Peanut, and raccoon, Fred, were seized and euthanized by New York officials in October. Now he is looking for answers.
Last year, New York state authorities seized and euthanized an Instagram-famous squirrel named Peanut and a raccoon named Fred.
In New York, it’s illegal to keep animals like squirrels and raccoons as pets. So after receiving numerous complaints, the state Department of Environmental Conservation took the animals from owner Mark Longo and put them down.
The story prompted national outcry and, to prevent that situation from happening in New Hampshire, Rep. James Spillane, R-Deerfield, has introduced a bill to allow the ownership of some squirrels and raccoons in New Hampshire.
“I wanted to make sure that we don’t get a black eye in the state of New Hampshire with the same sort of bad press,” said Spillane at a hearing on Wednesday.
What would be the rules for owning raccoons or squirrels?
Spillane’s bill would allow rehabilitated raccoons and gray squirrels to be kept as pets without a permit if a wildlife rehabilitation facility makes a determination that the animal cannot survive in the wild and is “up to date” on any vaccines required.
The bill says that the animals cannot be confiscated or euthanized without permission from the owner. But if the animal does not meet the requirements, the fish and game commission may charge the owner with a fine, confiscate the animal for examination, and vaccinate them.
It would also allow people who come to New Hampshire from a state where having a pet raccoon or gray squirrel is legal to keep the animal.
However, the bill would not allow people to buy raccoons or squirrels at a pet store, breed them, or trap and capture them from the wild.
Downsides of a pet squirrel
Representatives from the Humane Society and New Hampshire Fish and Game Department both spoke against the bill, warning the House Environment and Agriculture committee of the dangers of keeping wildlife as pets.
“This bill threatens public health and safety and promotes the dangerous and inhumane trend of keeping wild animals as pets,” said Kurt Ehrenberg, the New Hampshire state director for the Humane Society. “Raccoons and squirrels are wild animals, not domesticated pets.”
They said that keeping raccoons and squirrels as pets come with risks like physical harm from unpredictable behavior and the spread of dangerous diseases like rabies.
Even though the bill calls for making sure the animals have their “required” vaccines, Dan Bergeron, the chief of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Wildlife division, said that there are no statutes that require vaccines for the animals and no approved vaccines for the animals because they aren’t proven to be effective.
Will New Hampshire allow pet squirrels and raccoons?
It’s unclear yet whether this bill will make headway in the legislature, but this isn’t the first time New Hampshire has attempted to legalize alternative pets.
Last year, one bill would’ve allowed Granite Staters to own small-tailed monkeys, raccoons, foxes, otters, skunks, and red tailed kangaroos without a permit.
However, the House voted against the legislation.
“These animals really are not appropriate for home pet ownership. They are essentially wild animals,” said Rep. Peter Bixby, D-Dover, at the committee hearing. “Opening ownership of these up to people who just want them because it’s a cool idea could end up having our shelters dealing with kangaroos and short tailed monkeys that people decide they can’t handle after a short while.”
According to Bergeron, squirrels and raccoons can only be kept currently in New Hampshire under an exhibitors permit, so somewhere such as Squam Lake Science Center. While licensed rehabilitation centers can rescue an injured animal and nurse them back to health, they are not allowed to keep the animals. If they cannot be released into the wild, they must be euthanized.
Do any states allow people to own squirrels and raccoons?
It’s illegal in most states to own a pet squirrel without a permit.
But a few states do allow it, such as Florida.
Have you ever wanted to meet the people who work every day to help keep your community safe? Now you and your family have the perfect opportunity!
One of my favorite things about living in New Hampshire is how the community genuinely makes the effort to know one another. Whether its neighbors lending a helping hand, local businesses supporting fundraisers, or first responders showing up for community events, there’s a real sense that we’re all in this together.
Events like Coffee with a Cop are a perfect example of that Granite State spirit!
Coffee with a Cop gives residents the chance to sit down with the dedicated men and women of the Bedford Police Department in a casual setting. Just real conversations over coffee and pastries.
This is a wonderful opportunity for children to meet police officers outside of an emergency situation. Instead of only seeing officers during stressful moments or traffic stops, they get to laugh, ask questions, and learn about the people behind the badge.
As a newer mom, I don’t take for granted the people who work every day to protect the community my child is growing up in.
If you’re looking for a simple way to connect with your neighbors while supporting your local law enforcement, stop by Simply Delicious Bakery on Wednesday, July 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Grab a cold drink, enjoy a pastry, and spend a few minutes getting to know the people who work tirelessly to help keep Bedford a safe place to call home.
READ MORE: The Next Great Filmmaker Could Be Premiering Their Work Right Here In New Hampshire
I love highlighting stories like this because they remind us what makes New Hampshire special. It’s not just the beautiful scenery, it’s the people who continue to show up for one another.
These Are 15 of the Best Coffee Shops in New Hampshire
Gallery Credit: Megan Murphy
35 Community Meals for New Hampshire and Maine
Thank you to Lynne DeMelio-Rafferty for creating this.
New Hampshire
This NH Short Film Festival Returns in July, and Every Film Clocks in at 15 Minutes or Less
Independent filmmaking isn’t just alive; it’s helping shape the future of storytelling.
As technology continues to level the playing field, passionate creators have more opportunities than ever to tell meaningful stories outside the traditional Hollywood system. That’s exactly why events like the Creative Guts Short Film Festival deserve our support.
“The spirit of this festival is to celebrate the creativity, voice, and collaboration of filmmakers.” Now in its third year, The Creative Guts Short Film Festival gives a platform for filmmakers from all genres and different levels of experience to showcase their 15-minute pieces. The films selected this year were based upon a jury panel and even have a chance at the opportunity to screen at Red River Theatres on a limited run after the festival.
How cool is that!?
Awards in different categories will also be given to chosen filmmakers at the end of the event.
The evolution of cinema:
According to one of the UK’s biggest film festivals (Raindance), “The old model of filmmaking was built around gatekeepers.”
“Studios controlled production. Distributors controlled access. Television networks controlled visibility. Film festivals controlled discovery. Audiences arrived at the end of the pipeline. That structure shaped the kind of stories that could exist.”
Today, that model is rapidly changing. Raindance explains, “That pipeline is collapsing in real time. A filmmaker with a phone, editing software, and a direct audience relationship can now build attention faster than institutions that once controlled the entire ecosystem. That changes everything.”
As someone who has spent years in the filmmaking world, I know firsthand that audiences don’t always see the countless late nights, rewrites, equipment hiccups, and endless problem-solving that happen long before a film ever reaches the screen.
Every finished project represents months (or even years) of hard work, creativity, and determination.
A reason to support:
That’s one of the reasons I love short film festivals. Instead of committing to one feature-length movie, you get to experience a wide range of storytelling styles, genres, and perspectives all in one afternoon.
The best films don’t just entertain you, they linger long after the credits. They spark conversations on the drive home, challenge the way you see the world, or introduce you to a filmmaker whose work you’ll be eager to follow.
If you’re looking to experience something different while supporting New Hampshire’s creative community, this festival is a great place to start. You may discover your next favorite filmmaker before everyone else does!
2026 Creative Guts Short Film Festival
READ MORE: This Small New England Bakery Is Winning Hearts With Biscuit Flights
Date: Thursday, July 30, 2026
Time: 6:00PM
Location: Red River Theatres, Concord, NH
Early bird price: $15 (June 15th to June 30th)
Regular price: $20 (July 1st to July 30th)
These 11 Drive-In Theaters in NH, ME, and MA Are Still Operational
Gallery Credit: Meg
Movies Set in New Hampshire
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the Justice Department aimed at compelling New Hampshire to turn over its voter rolls, dealing the Trump administration another setback in its quest for detailed information about the nation’s voters.
The ruling from U.S. District Judge Joseph LaPlante found that the request to provide the state’s voter registration list did not comply with a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 pertaining to federal election records. His ruling, issued Monday, also found that the Justice Department failed to allege any violation under the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which established standards for states’ voting systems and voter registration lists.
That prevents “allowing the Attorney General unrestricted access to New Hampshire’s (voter list) to conduct a line-by-line audit to assess a ‘possible’ violation of a federal statute,” wrote LaPlante, an appointee of former President George W. Bush.
New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan, a Republican, welcomed the ruling.
“I am committed to protecting the private information of New Hampshire voters to the fullest extent required by law,” he said in a statement.
The dismissal in New Hampshire brings to 10 the number of states where the Justice Department has lost similar cases. The department has sued to force release of detailed state voter data — which includes dates of birth, addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers — in 30 states and the District of Columbia.
In addition to New Hampshire, judges have rejected those attempts in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. In Georgia, a judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit because it had been filed in the wrong city, prompting the government to refile elsewhere.
In explaining their push for the records, federal officials have said they need the voter data to ensure that states are complying with federal election laws related to maintaining voter registration lists, even though states already have detailed processes to do that. In the case out of Rhode Island, a Justice Department attorney acknowledged that the department was seeking unredacted voter roll information so it could be shared with the Department of Homeland Security to check citizenship status.
Democratic and some Republican officials have objected to the Justice Department requests for detailed voter data and said such a demand violates state and federal privacy laws.
At least 13 states have either provided or promised to provide their voter registration lists to the department, according to the Brennan Center for Justice and Associated Press reporting: Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming.
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