00:00If you find an adorable little baby rabbit in your yard, your natural instinct might be to
00:04rescue it and bring it inside. But before you do, you need to know, keeping a wild cottontail
00:10rabbit is illegal in almost every state. Here is why wildlife laws strictly protect cottontails.
00:16Don't forget to subscribe to the channel and turn on the notification bell so you don't miss
00:21any new updates. First, they are native wild animals, not pets. Unlike domestic rabbits,
00:28which were bred from European wild ancestors for centuries, cottontails are wild North American
00:34game animals. State wildlife agencies strictly prohibit taking wild species from their natural
00:40environment without specialized rehabilitation permits. Second, the stress can literally be
00:46fatal. Cottontails suffer from extreme stress in captivity, a physiological condition known as
00:52capture myopathy. Being handled by humans or kept in cages causes severe shock.
00:58Often leading to heart failure within days or even hours. Third, health and disease risks.
01:04Wild cottontails can carry dangerous parasites and zoonotic diseases like tularemia,
01:09also known as rabbit fever, which can easily spread to humans and house pets.
01:14If you find a nest of baby rabbits, leave them be. The mom is usually nearby.
01:20And if an animal is truly injured, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately.
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