This Map Shows All The US States Where It’s Legal To Own A Kangaroo, For Some Reason
There are cats and dogs, and then there are the weird and wonderful animals people keep as pets: snakes, budgies, the pony I saw being walked in suburban Sydney one time. And now a map has emerged of every US state where it’s legal to own a kangaroo — just in case you were wondering.
We’re not exactly sure why this map exists – it’s clearly not a good idea to keep a roo as a pet – but we’re just glad that it does.
[related_articles]79022,74812,69986[/related_articles]You can see the map below (or a larger version here). In Wisconsin, West Virginia and South Carolina, it’s legal to own a kangaroo without a permit. It’s more common to need a permit, like in Washington and Texas. But, in news that will come as no surprise to anyone, it’s illegal to own a kangaroo as a pet in the majority of the United States of America.
Kangaroo Ownership Legality map legend:
- Without a permit (green)
- With a permit (orange)
- Illegal (red)
A few eagle-eyed animal lovers have pointed out that the map may not be totally up-to-date — Reddit user u/BlueGold noticed that, under Wisconsin State Legislature, you need a license to own wild animals, including kangaroos.
you can have my kangaroo when you pry it from my cold, dead hands #Wisconsin
— Yo Soy Roberto (@WesterbergHS89) August 13, 2019
But that hasn’t stopped people from running wild with glee about their potential future as the proud owner of a kangaroo.
If a kangaroo crosses State lines, is the other State compelled to return the fugitive kangaroo?
— Jean Deny (@JeanDeny313) August 13, 2019
mfw I live in a state where I can own a Kangaroo without a permit pic.twitter.com/lJ49idft9b
— Andy Harrelson (@AndyD7101) August 14, 2019
land of the free my ass
— ΑΛΕΞ (@Jfof__) August 13, 2019
That’s great, but in the words of the great Australian icon Shannon Noll, “What about me?” In Australia, the only state where it’s legal to own a kangaroo is Victoria — as long as it’s not wild, and you have a licence.
The Northern Territory Government is also quite adamant that, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. “Kangaroos and wallabies do not make good pets and you should never keep one,” the government states on its website.
It’s not fun for anyone to own a kangaroo — but maps are fun, and we have more of them! Check out this map that shows how different countries do Daylight Savings, which languages are easiest to learn, and more national animals and their conservation status.
(Lead image: Spitfire19 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 1.0))
