travel customs-law air-travel animals
Taking &quot;wild animals&quot; on a plane
<p>last week I was in London for some sightseeing. In a park, I saw a lot of squirrels, and most of them were quite tame, came to other people, climbing on their trousers and ate out of their hands. I think we all can agree that squirrels are awesome and with animals so tame, the thought of taking one away with you comes to mind.</p>

<p>Apart from the question of whether you should do that (which I would answer with a definite no, the flight in the plane alone would propably be too much for the little guy), I would be interested if there would be a legal way to do that.
I come from Germany and traveled by plane. Would it be legal to do that?
I think you would at least have to take the animal to a vet and get some sort of certificate that the animal is healthy and don't has any diseases. Are there specific laws that prohibit taking a wild animal from a different country and make it your pet?</p>

<p>I know, it may be a funny question, and I wouldn't want that anyone would do something like this, but I'm really interested in the answer to that question.</p>

<p>Squirrels do not make good pets.</p>

<p>If it is gray squirrel, you technically need a license to keep one, however, the airline might not check this. Therefore, you MIGHT be able to get it on the plane in a carrier. It is technically against a UK regulation (not a law) to even possess a gray squirrel. There is no telling how this might or might not be enforced. In general, if the cops in the UK somehow found out you had a gray squirrel, they would probably seize it and kill it because it is considered an invasive species.</p>

<p>It is a crime to possess a gray squirrel in the EU. If you land a gray squirrel in an EU airport, they will confiscate the squirrel, arrest you, then fine you and kill the squirrel.</p>

<p>It is illegal to capture a red squirrel in the UK. You can possess one as a pet, but you must have a certificate showing that it was legally obtainined, otherwise you will be arrested and prosecuted under the Wildlife &amp; Countryside Act.</p>

<p>I don't know the law on red squirrels in the EU, however, my guess is you probably need a license to have one as a pet.</p>
