Is It Legal To Own A Bear As A Pet In Michigan?

People can have some pretty out-there pets. My friend in Indiana has a pet chinchilla named Kimchi, which is an animal I never thought about anyone having. Then, there are those people who have really out there pets like tarantulas and bearded dragons.

But is it possible to own something everyone unanimously agrees is cute and cuddly? Something kids receive as a small, stuffed animal, possibly in the teddy variety? What I'm getting at is: could you legally own a bear as a pet in the state of Michigan?

Can You Own A Bear As A Pet In Michigan?

Even though bears can be fuzzy and look like they can give good hugs, there are not many places that will just casually allow you to own a bear as a pet. Baby bears are small and silly, but they don't stay small very long. Grizzly bears can grow up to 400-600 pounds  There are plenty of people who have owned bears as pets, but there are only 6 states that will allow you to own a bear as a pet.

It is NOT legal to own a bear as a pet in Michigan, however, it is legal in the neighboring state of Wisconsin, as well as in the states of Alabama, Delaware, Nevada, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.

As discussed by Green Matters, bears cannot be domesticated, meaning that though bears can be trained to be friendly, bears "will never surrender their natural instincts" and will always be wild animals. Bears are apex predators, not puppies. Green Matters cites the movie Grizzly Man as a prime example. Though a man lived among bears for years and appeared to earn their trust, they still sadly killed him and his girlfriend.

So if you want to own a bear you can, technically. You'll need to go across the border to Wisconsin, get a permit, and drop a bunch of money to support it, but if you really want to own a bear, it's not outside the realm of possibility.