Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
(1)
Purpose.
The purpose of the wildlife rehabilitation permit is to ensure that
humane care and treatment is provided for wildlife in rehabilitation including
all aspects of animal welfare as stated in, but not limited to, the most
current edition of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's Minimum Standards for Wildlife
Rehabilitation with the goal of relieving suffering and release back to the
wild.
(a) All wildlife held under a wildlife
rehabilitation permit remains the property of the state held in trust for
Wash-ingtonians and is controlled and regulated by the state.
(b) A wildlife rehabilitation permit is
required to take, temporarily possess, and transport wildlife for the purpose
of rehabilitation, with the following exceptions:
(i) Public transport. Members of the public
may capture and transport injured and orphaned wildlife if it is safe to do so
to a wildlife rehabilitation facility; the public must transport injured
wildlife to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator within twenty-four
hours.
(ii) Veterinary care.
Veterinarians without a wildlife rehabilitation permit may provide
stabilization for transport or euthanize wildlife for humane reasons;
veterinarians without a wildlife rehabilitation permit must arrange transport
for orphaned or injured wildlife within forty-eight hours to a permitted
wildlife rehabilitator.
(2)
Wildlife rehabilitation
permits.
(a) The department may issue a
wildlife rehabilitation permit if the applicant:
(i) Is at least eighteen years of
age;
(ii) Completes and submits a
current application form to the department's wildlife rehabilitation
manager;
(iii) Demonstrates
completion of at least six months, or one thousand hours, of experience in
wildlife rehabilitation under the direct supervision of a wildlife
rehabilitator. At least three months, or five hundred hours, of this experience
must occur during the spring or summer. This training and experience must be
completed within a three-year period. The department, at its discretion, may
consider education in wildlife rehabilitation to suffice as a partial
substitute for experience;
(iv)
Submits to the department a written letter of recommendation from a current
primary permittee in good standing and who has not had a suspended or revoked
wildlife rehabilitation permit within the last three years and who has two or
more years of experience in wildlife rehabilitation;
(v) Submits to the department a signed
Principal Veterinarian Agreement form from a veterinarian who is willing to
serve as the principal veterinarian for the applicant;
(vi) Successfully completes the Washington
state general wildlife rehabilitation examination by correctly answering eighty
percent or more of the questions. An applicant who fails the exam may retake it
beginning fourteen days from the date of the failed exam; and
(vii) Possesses, is employed by, or
volunteers at facilities that have been inspected and approved by the
department and meet department standards, and meet current minimum standards
for wildlife rehabilitation as stated in, but not limited to, the most current
edition of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and International
Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's Minimum Standards for Wildlife
Rehabilitation. New wildlife rehabilitation permits must be signed and returned
to the department by the permittee no later than fourteen days from the date of
receipt.
A new wildlife rehabilitation permit is only valid when
signed by the permittee and the department permitting representative.
(b) Veterinarians are
exempt from the requirements in (a) (iv) and (v) of this subsection;
veterinarians may be partially exempt from the requirements in (a)(iii) of this
subsection if their formal education or practical training is in wildlife
medicine. Applicants living in states with boundaries contiguous with
Washington state whose wildlife rehabilitation activities occur in Washington,
for Washington wildlife, and/or has or works for a facility in Washington may
apply for a Washington wildlife rehabilitation permit.
(c) The department will determine which
species the wildlife rehabilitator is qualified to care for and may condition
the permit according to the applicant's training, experience, capabilities, and
facilities.
Inactive permit applications. Permit applications greater
than three years old from the date of signature will be classified as inactive.
Applicant must submit a new complete and current application to be considered.
If exam was taken greater than three years from the date of the new
application, the applicant must retake the exam.
(d) Wildlife rehabilitators must display the
wildlife rehabilitation permit or a copy of the permit in a location at the
facility that is visible to the public.
(e) Wildlife rehabilitation permits are valid
for up to three years, as long as the information on the permit remains valid
and current and the permittee adheres to permit conditions and department
rules.
(f) Wildlife rehabilitators
must report any permit information changes to the department within ten
business days of the change. These changes include:
(i) Permitted rehabilitator leaving the
facility;
(ii) Subpermittees
leaving the facility;
(iii) Major
changes or additions in animal housing and enclosures that would affect number
of individuals and/or permitted species;
(iv) Change in principal
veterinarian;
(v) Facility
address;
(vi) Adding
facilities.
(g) The
department may refuse to issue a wildlife rehabilitation permit to an applicant
if within the last ten years of the date of the application the applicant:
(i) Was convicted of a fish or wildlife
offense; or
(ii) Was convicted of
any offense involving animal or child cruelty neglect, or abuse.
(iii) Found guilty of practicing veterinary
medicine without an active license, as determined by the veterinary board of
governors.
(iv) Fails to meet any
of the above requirements.
(3)
Cervid endorsement.
(a) A person must possess a cervid
rehabilitation endorsement to house and rehabilitate cervids;
(b) Must have completed hands-on training
hours for one complete season March through October focused on cervid wildlife
rehabilitation with a current primary permittee endorsed for cervid
rehabilitation, and submit to the department a written letter of recommendation
from that primary permitee;
(c)
Must attend the cervid training provided by the department, which may include
updated training at time of permit renewal; and
(d) Possess department inspected approval
facilities suitable for cervid species listed on the permit and as required by
department rules and the current standards as stated in the National Wildlife
Rehabilitators Association and International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's
Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation.
(4)
Large-carnivore rehabilitation
endorsement. A person must possess a large-carnivore rehabilitation
endorsement to rehabilitate large carnivores. Large carnivores are brown bear,
black bear, cougar, wolf, bobcat, and lynx. The department may issue
large-carnivore endorsements to wildlife rehabilitators who:
(a) Have at least five hundred documented
hours, of direct safety, handling, and medical care in a current wildlife
rehabilitation practice with large carnivores; at the discretion of the
department and on a case-by-case basis, wildlife biologists professionally
employed as a large carnivore biologist with five hundred or more hours of
documented experience may substitute a portion of the required hours for direct
handling and experience;
(b) Have
received and documented training in large-animal restraint techniques,
including demonstration of proper catchpole use and immobilization-drug
administration;
(c) Submits to the
department a written letter of recommendation from a current primary permittee
in good standing and who has not had a suspended or revoked wildlife
rehabilitation permit within the last three years and who has two or more years
of experience in large-carnivore rehabilitation;
(d) Successfully completes the written
large-carnivore rehabilitation examination by correctly answering eighty
percent or more of the questions. An applicant who fails the exam may retake it
beginning fourteen days from the date of the failed exam; and
(e) Possess department-inspected and
department-approved facilities suitable for large carnivores as required by
department rule and the current standards as stated in, but not limited to, the
most current edition of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's Minimum Standards for Wildlife
Rehabilitation.
(5)
Raptor rehabilitation endorsement. A person must possess a raptor
rehabilitation endorsement to rehabilitate raptors. The department may issue
raptor rehabilitation endorsements to wildlife rehabilitators who:
(a) Demonstrate five hundred hours direct
practice with and handling of raptors;
(b) Successfully complete the written raptor
rehabilitation examination by correctly answering eighty percent or more of the
questions. An applicant who fails the exam may retake it beginning fourteen
days from the date of the failed exam;
(c) Possess department-inspected and
department-approved facilities suitable for raptor housing and rehabilitation
as required by department rule and as stated in, but not limited to, the most
current edition of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's Minimum Standards for Wildlife
Rehabilitation; and
(d) Submits to
the department a written letter of recommendation from a current primary
permittee in good standing and who has not had a suspended or revoked wildlife
rehabilitation permit within the last three years and who has two or more years
of experience in raptor rehabilitation.
(6)
Raptors-only rehabilitation
permits. The department may issue raptor-only rehabilitation permits
that allow a person to rehabilitate only raptors and no other wildlife. To
qualify for these permits, an applicant must:
(a) Demonstrate five hundred hours direct
practice with and handling of raptors;
(b) Successfully complete the raptor
rehabilitation reexamination by correctly answering eighty percent or more of
the questions. An applicant who fails the examination may retake it beginning
fourteen days from the date of the failed exam;
(c) Submits to the department a written
letter of recommendation from a current primary permittee in good standing and
who has not had a suspended or revoked wildlife rehabilitation permit within
the last three years and who has two or more years of experience in raptor
rehabilitation and who agrees to advise the applicant in performing raptor
rehabilitation; and
(d) Posses
department inspected and approved facilities suitable for raptor housing and
rehabilitation as required by department rule and as stated in, but not limited
to, the most current edition of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators
Association and International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's Minimum
Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation.
(7)
Oiled-wildlife rehabilitation
endorsement.
(a) A person must have an
oiled-wildlife endorsement or written department approval to retain oiled
wildlife. If the primary permittee does not possess an oiled-wildlife
endorsement, the permittee must transfer the oiled wildlife to a primary
permittee who has an oiled-wildlife endorsement, or obtain department approval
to retain the oiled wildlife.
(b)
The department may issue an oiled-wildlife endorsement to permitted
rehabilitators who possess or have permission to use department-approved
facilities suitable for oiled-wildlife rehabilitation as required by department
rule. For minimum housing/pen and pool requirements for oiled species other
than alcids, refer to the most current edition of the National Wildlife
Rehabilitators Associations and International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's
Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation.
(8)
Permittee-requested permit
amendments. A wildlife rehabilitator may ask for permit amendments for:
(a) Changes to permitted species and capacity
by submitting a revised species information page from the department-provided
application;
(b) Changes to
subpermittees by submitting the wildlife rehabilitation subpermittee
application; and
(c) Addition of an
education or foster animal by submitting the live animal retention
application.
(9)
Wildlife rehabilitation permit renewal. To renew a wildlife
rehabilitation permit, the permittee must submit the following documentation at
least thirty days prior to the permit date of expiration:
(a) A current, completed wildlife
rehabilitation permit application form; and
(b) Documentation demonstrating at least
thirty hours of continuing education during the previous three-year permit
period. Continuing education includes:
(i)
Documented attendance at state wildlife rehabilitator meetings or at Washington
Wildlife Rehabilitation Association conference, or National Wildlife
Rehabilitators Association annual symposium;
(ii) A certificate of completion of an
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council online or in-person class or
workshop;
(iii) Completion and
documented attendance of privately offered wildlife rehabilitation
training;
(iv) Completion and
documented attendance of wildlife rehabilitation classes at a college or
university;
(v) Documented
department preapproved training with a currently licensed wildlife
rehabilitator; or
(vi) Other
continuing education activities as preapproved by the department;
(vii) Renewed wildlife rehabilitation permits
must be signed and returned to the department by the permittee no later than
fourteen days from the date of receipt;
(viii) A renewed wildlife rehabilitation
permit is valid only when signed by the permittee and the department permitting
representative.
(10)
Reinstatement of expired
permits.
(a) A permit expired for less
than three years may be reinstated for the facility and species listed on the
expired permit as long as the permittee meets the conditions for permit
renewal.
(b) Permits expired for
three years or more may be reinstated if:
(i)
The applicant submits a current and complete department provided wildlife
rehabilitation permit application;
(ii) Possesses, is employed by, or volunteers
at facilities that have been inspected and approved by the department and meet
department standards for treating and housing wildlife for rehabilitation; meet
current minimum standards for wildlife rehabilitation as stated in, but not
limited to, the most current edition of the National Wildlife Rehabilitators
Association and International Rehabilitation Council's Minimum Standards for
Wildlife Rehabilitation;
(iii) The
applicant takes and successfully completes the Washington general wildlife
rehabilitation examination, the raptor rehabilitation examination, or large
carnivore rehabilitation examination, whichever examination is applicable, by
correctly answering eighty percent or more of the questions. An applicant who
fails the examination may retake it beginning fourteen days from the date of
the failed exam.
(11)
Out-of-state wildlife
rehabilitators. Wildlife rehabilitators who have a current wildlife
rehabilitation permit or a comparable permit issued by another state, and who
move to Washington state for the purpose of residency and wish to practice
wildlife rehabilitation in Washington, must follow the same procedures and
requirements as a new applicant for a Washington state wildlife rehabilitation
permit.
(12) A violation of this
section by a person who engages in wildlife rehabilitation without a department
permit is punishable under the appropriate statute for the species being
rehabilitated, including
RCW
77.15.120 for endangered fish or wildlife;
RCW
77.15.130 for protected fish or wildlife;
RCW
77.15.400 for wild birds;
RCW
77.15.410 for big game; and
RCW
77.15.430 for wild animals not classified as
big game.
(13) A violation of this
section by a person who has a wildlife rehabilitation permit is punishable
under
RCW
77.15.750(1), Unlawful use
of a department permit-Penalty.
Reviser's note: The spelling error in the
above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the
Register pursuant to the requirements of
RCW
34.08.040.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
77.12.047,
77.12.240,
77.12.467,
77.12.469, and
77.32.070. WSR 13-18-046 (Order
13-192), §
232-12-841, filed 8/30/13,
effective 9/30/13.
