Current through Register Vol. 24-24, December 15, 2024
(1) A primary
permittee may retain live, nonreleasable wildlife for the purposes of:
(a) Orphan imprinting, socialization, and
appropriate wild behavior retention and development, if the permittee possesses
valid U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) permits and written authorization
from the department. The department determines whether wildlife may be retained
for these purposes on a case-by-case basis.
(b) Static display and program education, if
the permittee possesses valid USFWS permits and written authorization from the
department.
(c) To obtain
authorization for education or fostering, the permittee must submit a completed
Education or Foster Animal - Live Wildlife Retention Form application form
provided by the department.
(d) A
fee for presentation of an education program may be charged to recoup the
permittee's cost.
(e) Education
programs must provide information about the biology, ecological roles, or needs
of wildlife; wildlife may not be presented as if they are pets.
(f) Wildlife tamed , overly habituated and
lacking fear of humans and domestic animals, or mal-imprinted to humans before
admission to the primary permittee's facility can be retained for static
display or education programs if the department authorizes this in writing. The
department will make such determinations on a case-by-case basis.
(g) Permittees must house wildlife used for
educational purposes separately and out of sight of wildlife in
rehabilitation.
(h) Mammals
retained for education purposes may not be used for orphan imprinting or
companionship for wildlife in rehabilitation.
(i) It is permissible to use birds retained
for education, including raptors, for orphaned imprinting, nestling care, or
companionship if federally permitted.
(j) The permittee may not have the following
animals for education programs or static display: Cervids, large carnivores,
amphibians.
(k) The permittee may
not use the following animals in education programs: All rodents (except
eastern gray squirrels), moles and shrews, weasels, skunks, raccoons, coyotes,
foxes, beavers, muskrats, pikas, hares, rabbits, Apodidae, Trochilidae,
Picidae, Passerines (except American crow, Northwestern crow, and common
ravens), loons, grebes, sea-birds, herons, bitterns, storks, and
ibis.
(2) Wildlife tamed
or mal-imprinted to humans while at the primary permittee's facility and
determined to be nonreleaseable must be transferred or humanely euthanized to
protect the public and to protect the animal from human abuse.
(3) A violation of this section is punishable
under
RCW
77.15.750, Unlawful use of a department
permit-Penalty.
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), §
232-12-861, filed 8/30/13,
effective 9/30/13.
