# So are Hedgehogs REALLY Illegal in AZ



## Konotashi (Aug 10, 2014)

I apologize in advance if this is in the wrong section!

I was reading the laws regarding keeping exotic animals here in AZ, and I couldn't find anything that officially classifies hedgehogs as illegal.
Whenever I google the legality of hedgehogs in AZ, I only find forums and Yahoo Answer replies saying things along the lines of, "They're illegal," and, "You need a permit that's next to impossible to get to own one."

I read the statutes and couldn't find anything stating that hedgehogs are illegal OR the requirement of a permit to keep one. 
If a permit/license is, in fact, a requirement to own one, I can't find the perameters of the supposed permit.

The law states that all animals under the order of Insectivora are banned as pets. Hedgehogs, along with many other species, USED to be classified under Insectivora, but hedgies are now defined under the order of Erinaceomorpha, which the law doesn't mention.

With all that said, are hedgehogs truly illegal in Arizona? 
I want to call the Game and Fish department tomorrow to find out for sure, but I couldn't find anything stating that they're illegal.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

http://azsos.gov/public_services/Title_12/12-04.htm#ARTICLE_4

R12-4-406.	Restricted Live Wildlife
...
G.	Unless specified otherwise, mammals listed below are restricted live wildlife as defined in R12-4-401. The taxonomic classification from Volumes I and II of Walker's Mammals of the World, Sixth Edition, 1999, and not including any later edition, is the authority in the following designations. A copy is available for inspection at any Department office and from the Johns Hopkins University Press, 2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218-4363.
1.	All species of the genus Didelphis. Common name: American opossums;
2.	All species of the order Insectivora. Common names include: Insectivores, shrews, *hedgehogs*, tenrecs, solenodonts, and moles;
...

What this means is that you have to have a permit to own one. The permits are ridiculous to obtain. Yes, they are illegal without one.

I am NOT advocating getting one but I know that they are not going to storm your house for your hedgehog if you manage to obtain one. The biggest issue I see with getting one is that you cannot buy from a reputable breeder. This means that anyone who is breeding is not following any laws or regulations in Arizona. You have no idea what you are going to get.

Arizona is known for their weird laws. Both my parents were raised there. :-? Good luck and hopefully one day they will be legal there.


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