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Washington Administrative Code (Last Updated: November 23, 2016) |
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Title 232. Fish and Wildlife, Department of (Wildlife) |
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Chapter 232-12. Permanent regulations. |
Section 232-12-847. Wildlife rehabilitation—Facility requirements and inspections—On- and off-site care.
Latest version.
- (1) The facility requirements listed in this section address wildlife health and safety. The department of labor and industries and other local, state, or federal agencies may have additional requirements relating to human health and safety. It is the primary permittee's responsibility to comply with all state and federal laws and regulations, and to ensure that his or her subpermittees do the same.(2) Facilities.(a) Primary permittees on a wildlife rehabilitation permit must maintain approved facilities that meet the standards set by the department, the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA), and the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council's (IWRC) minimum standards for wildlife rehabilitation, unless as otherwise provided by the department. More information on facilities requirements is available at www.wdfw.wa.gov.(b) All wildlife held under a wildlife rehabilitation permit must be maintained in humane, healthful, and secluded conditions.(c) The wildlife rehabilitation facility must protect wildlife from predators, weather extremes, undue human contact and noise, and domestic animals.(d) In-home wildlife rehabilitation facilities must designate separate and exclusive rooms used only for wildlife housing, treatment, and rehabilitation. It is unlawful to house, treat, or handle wildlife in other parts of the residence. It is unlawful to house or treat wildlife anywhere human food is prepared, stored, or consumed.(e) The primary permittee must notify the department at least thirty days prior to moving if he or she intends to transfer his or her wildlife rehabilitation facilities to another location. The new facilities must pass a department facility inspection before wildlife is moved to the new facility.(f) The wildlife rehabilitation facility must be associated with a primary permittee at all times. If a facility is left with no primary permittees, facility personnel must notify the department within five days of the departure of the last primary permittee. The facility has thirty days in which to bring a primary permittee into the facility. After thirty days, if the facility is no longer associated with a primary permittee, the facility must transfer wildlife to another facility associated with a primary permittee.(3) Off-site care.(a) A primary permittee is responsible for ensuring that his or her off-site facilities, or those of his or her subpermittee, meet all species- and treatment-stage-specific facility requirements as provided by department rule.(b) A primary permittee, or subpermittee authorized to care for wildlife off-site from the wildlife rehabilitation facilities, must have adequate facilities to house the species in his or her care, based on the criteria for wildlife rehabilitation facilities outlined in the NWRA/IWRC minimum standards for wildlife rehabilitation.(c) It is unlawful for a subpermittee to care for wildlife in his or her off-site facility, or for the primary permittee to transfer wildlife to the subpermittee, unless the following requirements are met:(i) The primary facility is overcrowded or there is a need for twenty-four-hour or after-hours care, such as nestling care or nursing small mammals, or critical care;(ii) The subpermittee only houses the following species off-site: Common small mammals (except bats), ducks and geese (except swans), pheasant, grouse, quail, pigeon and dove, woodpeckers (except pileated woodpecker), and songbirds and perching birds;(iii) The wildlife receives an initial intake exam at the primary permittee's facility before wildlife is transferred to the subpermittee for off-site care;(iv) The wildlife exhibits no signs of a reportable disease;(v) The subpermittee follows a treatment plan developed by the veterinarian or primary permittee if a treatment plan is prescribed for any nonreportable condition;(vi) The subpermittee returns the animal to the wildlife rehabilitation facility under which the subpermittee is permitted as soon as the facility is able to care for the animal, such as space becoming available; and(vii) The subpermittee possesses a copy of the wildlife rehabilitation permit at all times while in possession of wildlife, including while transporting wildlife for the wildlife rehabilitation facility.(d) It is unlawful for a subpermittee to house large carnivores at his or her off-site facilities.(e) It is unlawful for a subpermittee to house, possess, care for, or treat state and federally designated threatened or endangered species at his or her off-site facilities.(4) Inspections.(a) Wildlife rehabilitation facilities, records, equipment, and animals may be inspected without advance notice at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner by authorized state or federal personnel. This includes off-site wildlife rehabilitation facilities, records, equipment, and animals.(b) Inspecting authorities may not enter the facilities or disturb wildlife unless the primary permittee, a subpermittee, or a designated staff member or volunteer is present.(c) If wildlife rehabilitation facilities are on property owned by a person other than the primary permittee or a subpermittee, the permittee must submit a signed, dated statement in which the property owner:(i) Gives written permission to the permittee to engage in wildlife rehabilitation on the property; and(ii) Agrees that the wildlife rehabilitation facilities may be inspected by the department at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner.(5) A violation of this section by a primary permittee or a subpermittee is punishable under RCW 77.15.750(1), Unlawful use of a department permit—Penalty.