Arizona Man Arrested for Adopting Raccoon

Instead of being applauded for saving a drowning raccoon in the Colorado River, 57-year-old Stan Morris was arrested seven months later.

According to The Associated Press, Morris quickly developed a bond with the raccoon and named it Sonny.

He told the police that he looked online to see if it was illegal to keep a raccoon as a pet in Arizona and decided to adopt Sonny when he didn't find any information on the subject. Although it is legal, the owner has to have an exotic animal license or permit.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department was alerted to the situation by reports of a man walking around town with a raccoon perched on his shoulder.

A Game and Fish spokesman told the Mohave Daily News it's potentially dangerous both for the person keeping a raccoon and for others that might interact with it.

Game and Fish obtained a search warrant and removed Sonny from Morris' home without incident.

Game and Fish spokesman Zen Mocarski told The AP that, while Sonny appeared to be domesticated to Morris and his friends, wild animals retain their dangerous instincts despite being comfortable around people.

Morris was arrested on suspicion of possession of restricted wildlife.