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Want to own a pet squirrel or raccoon? Some NH lawmakers want to make it legal

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Want to own a pet squirrel or raccoon? Some NH lawmakers want to make it legal


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  • Rep. James Spillane, R-Deerfield, introduced a bill to allow the ownership of some squirrels and raccoons in New Hampshire.
  • Spillane wants to prevent another situation like one in New York, where beloved Peanut the squirrel was taken from its owner and euthanized.
  • Opponents say that keeping wildlife as pets is dangerous and threatens public safety.

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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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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.



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New Hampshire

Lowell man hit cruiser in NH chase, state police say

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Lowell man hit cruiser in NH chase, state police say


A Massachusetts man has been arrested after allegedly hitting a New Hampshire State Police cruiser during a chase that ended in Manchester.

Authorities arrested 27-year-old Alejandro Vargas of Lowell early Tuesday morning, they announced Wednesday. Police in Epping notified state police at 1:21 a.m. that a silver 2026 Chevrolet Silverado had fled from them.

Epping officers briefly pursued the truck and had last seen it heading west on Route 101. Police in Candia then reported seeing the same truck going 105 mph.

State police said a trooper tried to stop the truck at Exit 1 on Interstate 293 northbound, but the driver refused to pull over.

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The driver got off I-293 on Arnold Street, a dead end, and tried to turn around. He allegedly hit a state police cruiser and two parked vehicles.

State police said the driver and a passenger got out and ran in opposite directions. Manchester police officers, who arrived to the scene with a drone, found and arrested the driver, identified as Vargas.

The passenger was not found. Police did not issue a description.

Vargas had an outstanding warrant from the U.S. Marshals Service, police said without giving details on why he was wanted.

In Tuesday’s incident, Vargas is facing a felony charge of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor charges of simple assault, disobeying an officer, resisting arrest and conduct after an accident, as well as multiple unspecified violations.

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Police said Vargas was expected to be arraigned Wednesday at Manchester District Court. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.



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Support NHPR & New Hampshire Food Bank this Holiday Season

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Support NHPR & New Hampshire Food Bank this Holiday Season


This holiday season, NHPR is proud to partner with the New Hampshire Food Bank to help provide meals to families in our community facing food insecurity.

When you make a gift to NHPR in December, you’re supporting more than local, independent journalism. You’re ensuring that essential news and stories are shared across the Granite State — stories that highlight the issues that matter most to New Hampshire residents, from local politics to culture, education, and community life. Your support helps us continue to produce thoughtful, in-depth reporting and to keep our community informed and engaged.

And this year, your generosity can have an even greater impact. By choosing ‘meals to the New Hampshire Food Bank’ in lieu of a tote bag or mug, you’ll help provide nutritious meals to those in need right here in our state. The New Hampshire Food Bank is the state’s largest hunger-relief organization, distributing millions of pounds of food annually to local food pantries, shelters, and meal programs.

When you choose ‘meals to the NHFB’ you’re helping to support families struggling with food insecurity, helping ensure no one in our community goes hungry this holiday season.

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Support reliable news. Support your community. And help ensure more families have access to healthy, nourishing food.





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Mashpee Boy Scouts carry injured woman down N.H. mountain

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Mashpee Boy Scouts carry injured woman down N.H. mountain


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Brodie Perry and Jack Borowski carried the woman for two hours down to the base of the mountain.

From left, Brodie Perry and Jack Borowski. Paul Perry

Two members of the Mashpee Boy Scouts of America Troop 36 carried an injured woman down Mount Lafayette in New Hampshire over Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend.

Brodie Perry and Jack Borowski, both seniors at Mashpee Middle-High School, were leading the troop’s annual hike in the White Mountains when they came across the injured woman, they told Boston.com.

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The two scouts asked the woman and her family members, who were trying to carry her down, if they needed any help to which they said no, Borowski said. The woman’s legs were shaking, and her family kept dropping her as daylight quickly ran out, they noticed.

The troop followed behind the family for a while, and ultimately Borowski and Perry offered to carry her down.

It took the two scouts two hours to carry the woman two miles to the base of the mountain, they said.

“If we were to just keep walking and go to the bottom, I don’t know if they would get down, or if they did get down, they would definitely be injured even more than they were,” Perry said.

Both Borowski and Perry value the skills they learned in the Boy Scouts.

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“As you begin, you’re someone who listens to the leaders … but as you go, you slowly become the person who’s leading. It’s a really good natural way to go from someone who’s like beginning to someone who’s truly teaching the people around you,” Perry said.

“I’ve developed a lot as a person. You get a lot of experience in leadership and survival skills and helping other people,” Borowski continued. “It’s just really good program to help improve you as a person.”

Borowski is already an Eagle Scout, the highest Boy Scout rank, and Perry is set to be named an Eagle Scout in the next month or so.

After high school graduation, Borowski plans to enlist in the military, and Perry wants to study engineering at a four-year college.





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