Name: Kansas man caring for dozens of raccoons fights to legalize them as pets
Uploaded: 2025-12-12T01:24:19.721Z
Duration: 1 min 55 s
Description: In at least 32 states, pet raccoons are illegal. That includes Kansas, where one man with a soft spot for the creatures is hoping to change that.

In at least 32 states, pet raccoons are illegal. That includes Kansas, where one man with a soft spot for the creatures is hoping to change that.

Kansas

Steven Casper, a Kansas resident, has been caring for numerous raccoons and is advocating for their legalization as pets in the state. Currently, raccoon ownership is illegal in Kansas and at least 32 other states, prompting Casper to write a bill and present it to lawmakers.

Casper argues that raccoons are intelligent and make excellent companions, while some wildlife officials caution that raccoons are better suited to outdoor environments. The Kansas legislature is expected to vote on the proposed bill in its upcoming session, with Casper hoping to make 2026 the year of the pet raccoon nationwide.

Kansas man caring for dozens of raccoons fights to legalize them as pets

President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge had two pet raccoons during their White House years. They would be Rebecca and Ruben. He ran away. She ended up at the zoo. It's illegal now to own raccoons in Washington, D.C. But as Dave Malkoff reports, the list of places where it is legal could expand. Elvis, Rufus, Ernie and Georgia are just some of the raccoons hanging out at Steven Casper's house. Crunch berries. He's left them some Cap'n Crunch. They'll clear a couple bowls of this stuff a night. And shoveled a path to help him out. Tell me about the first time that you knew that a raccoon was trusting you. Oh, so that was Robbie. The second Robbie raccoon ate his first marshmallow, it was on. They literally would sit in my lap. At one point, we had five moms, 22 babies up here at once, and I'm like, this is a lot. Outside, in the clearly marked raccoon crossing zone is one thing. You want them inside the house? Absolutely. But in at least 32 states, pet raccoons are illegal, including here in Kansas. So Casper wrote a bill. Raccoon ownership. To change that and got it in front of state lawmakers. They're incredible companions. They are very smart. Across the state line, Erin Waddill from the Missouri Department of Conservation thinks raccoons should stay outside. When you can find an animal like that to a smaller space, it's just not well suited for them. When you see a little bitty guy like that stare into your soul, holding your hands. With his own hands, with his own human hands. They will not let you go. If Casper's bill passes, he wants 2026 to be the year of the pet raccoon nationwide. Dave Malkoff, CBS News, Lenexa, Kansas. All it takes is some marshmallows and Cap'n Crunch, right? I'm not worried about the hands, it's the teeth. The whole thing. Legislature is supposed to vote on that bill next session. Have a good night.

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