What is the ruling on selling squirrels, and are they considered pets even though they belong to the rodent family? Is it obligatory to give in charity the money earned from them, and is expiation required? Is it permissible to give that money in charity?

For the sale of an object to be permissible, its benefit must be absolutely unrestricted and not limited by a specific need. The squirrel is permissible to eat according to a group of jurists; it is therefore halal. Accordingly, its sale is permissible for the benefit of eating it, utilizing its fur, or any other permissible benefit, such as eliminating harmful insects.