Rhode Island Chipmunk Permit

[Zomlies]

Hello everyone,

Thank you for reading my post and helping me. About a month after COVID-19 became aggressive in the north east I discovered a baby chipmunk (about 3 weeks old) in the busy roadway of the ER I work at. There were several cars driving over her almost hitting her. It was quite cold that day and she could barely walk. I thought maybe her mother dropped her there to show her what it's like outside of the nest. So I scooped her up with a cup and moved her to the road side. I waited a few hours and never saw her mother. My shift was over so I decided it may be best to take care of her and find out what to do.

I called a couple vets and they wanted nothing to do with it, so I started researching emergency care. I followed the guidelines that were depicted in multiple websites. She is doing quite well now and thriving! It's been long enough now that we've bonded really well and she is very healthy (eating henry's blocks, mazuri, and primate blocks, as well as fruits and veggies). It's getting colder here and I don't think she has the skills to survive outside now, so I'm keeping her inside. I've really grown to love and care for her. I can tell she loves me too. We play together every day and she falls asleep when I rub her belly at night. She has a nice big Exotic Nutrition cage with plenty of toys, food, and bedding.

So, what I'm asking is how can I obtain a permit to legally own her and is it likely I will receive it in Rhode Island? In my state you can have some very dangerous animals if you just apply for the permit and get it. I am worried I will get fined or get her taken away just by approaching the officials. I love animals and she is in good care with me. I have done significant research in caring for her. I am committed to her for the rest of her life and I'd like that to be long and healthy. With that said, I would like to be able to take her to a vet if needed. If anyone has any advice or experiences with this I am open to it all. Thank you very much!