A raccoon raised as a pet in West Seattle will stay in state custody, a judge decided Friday. The decision is a final ruling in a months-long legal battle over Mae the raccoon.
The Greer family says they found an orphaned newborn raccoon in a West Seattle park seven years ago and never planned to keep her. They testified about attempts to find a wildlife rehab center for the animal, but none would take her.
The family says they had no choice but to care for the raccoon or let her die, and that's how Mae became their pet raccoon.
The Greer family took Mae camping last year in Eastern Washington, something they'd done for years, including encounters with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. But on this trip, a WDFW officer asked them for a permit, which they said had expired.
A week later, an officer showed up at the Greer's West Seattle house to seize Mae because raccoons are not legally allowed as pets in Washington. WDFW took Mae to a wildlife rehab center in Quilcene, where she is currently living.
The Greers sued WDFW to win back custody of Mae.
This past May, a hearing officer ruled the raccoon could not return to the Greer family, a decision the family appealed.
The final ruling came Friday, with a judge deciding the raccoon would not return to the Greers. Court documents stated the animal's health was improving since living at the wildlife center.
The judge said, "You aren't legal owners, you have to deal with this legal ownership issue. This raccoon is not in good shape, this raccoon is in need of care, this raccoon is itchy, this raccoon is infested. As I said, a poster child case for why people should not take animals from the wild."
It's unclear if Mae will remain in Quilcene, but she will stay in the custody of Washington state. Raccoons in the wild usually live 2-3 years, but can live up to 20 years in captivity.
