Hello,
I'm so sorry to read about your loss and really want to help you. There are a few different places to research the legalities about owning prairie dogs specifically due to increased restrictions implemented by states as a result of the monkey pox ban that was lifted in 2008. Sadly, according to their State Health Veterinarian from research I was doing for another client, they are not permitted, regardless of if they were claimed to be captive bred.
Unfortunately, even very "reputable" stores are misinformed about what they are selling and they are often wild caught but hand raised when the facts are uncovered. Often, if the pet store were to question and ask for pictures of when the pups were nursing with their mother to actually prove a captive litter, the people that are selling them fail to provide that evidence or squirm around that direct questioning, even going so far as to show you a picture of someone's pair that might not even belong to them just to get you to believe their story.
I'm not saying it is impossible that they were captive bred, but the chances are very remote as I deal with people all over the country and often find out that they were not given the facts, even many wonderful pet stores.
So, I'm happy to help you further and again wish you my condolences about your loss and poor little girl. I can send you the exact documents and info via private email and we can discuss your options if you want. I can be reached at
[email protected] or 425.870.1729.
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I have a beautiful happy little PD girl and we are in AL. I have found the regs on exotic pets and it says no wild rodents. However, my baby was captive breed and from a reputable pet store. I wonder it they would still consider her wild??