If you wanted to own a free forest puppy aka coyote in Iowa, could you legally do so?

Imagine you find a cute, small, cuddly, baby coyote pup wandering around your yard/land and you think it'd be a nice idea to give it a good home. What could you do to potentially add one to your family?

I blame Disney movies for this...but a lot of young kids believe a lot of animals are sweet, and caring, and become our best friends for life. There are surely some animals that become family like dogs or cats but could you potentially add a coyote into the mix? Look at how cute these babies are!

I'll say right now, I don't know why anyone would want a coyote as a pet. While they may appear cute when they're younger, they eventually get bigger. Trying to domesticate one sounds like an absolute nightmare.

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If you've ever wanted to adopt a coyote in Iowa, I've got some bad news for you. It's illegal. You may have some that like hanging out on your land or around your home but owning one as a pet is a no-go.

Exotic Pet Ownership in Iowa

According to The Spruce Pets, Iowa is pretty straightforward regarding exotic animal ownership.

"Unless you received a permit for the animal by 2007, you cannot possess, own, or breed any dangerous wild animal."

Coyotes are part of the Canidae family and would be considered wild or exotic pets. Even if there is a roadrunner that needs catching...sadly you won't be able to use a coyote to get the job done.

Honestly, you wouldn't and shouldn't want a pet coyote. They can potentially be very dangerous for you, your family, your neighbors, and any other pets you have. Coyotes attacking humans is pretty rare but coyotes should be treated with caution and avoided if possible.

Not only that but coyotes require space. A coyote doesn't want to be trapped inside your house. They have incredible energy drives and need to be able to explore and roam around. Without proper outlets, they can become highly destructive and your home will be ruined.

Also...imagine trying to potty train one of these things. Yikes. Supposedly coyotes can't be potty trained according to Exotic Pet Wonderland. If for some reason you did want to have a secret coyote pet, what would you name it?