Section 220-450-150 - Wildlife rehabilitation-Transfer, import, and export of wildlife and restrictions(1) A primary permittee may import wildlife into Washington state for wildlife rehabilitation purposes if it is legal to import that species and the primary permittee possesses a certificate of veterinary inspection from an accredited veterinarian licensed in the state of origin and an entry permit as required by the Washington state department of agriculture for the animal.(2) It is unlawful to transfer Washington state mammals to an out-of-state rehabilitator without obtaining prior department approval.(3) It is unlawful to import species in the order Cervidae or rabies vector species into Washington state for rehabilitation purposes. (a) Cervids are Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, black-tailed deer, white-tailed deer, moose, and caribou.(b) Rabies vector species are bat, skunk, fox, raccoon, and coyote.(c) Wildlife rehabilitation permits may be conditioned by the department with additional restrictions on wildlife transfer related to a specific endorsement or current interpretations of species-specific disease transfer.(4) Transferring wildlife for socialization. (a) Transferring wildlife undergoing rehabilitation between Washington wildlife rehabilitators for the purpose of orphan imprinting, conspecific socialization, appropriate species behavior maintenance, prerelease condition, and/or species-specific and veterinary medical care is permissible.(b) No transfer of cervids, beaver, or bats between eastern Washington (all lands lying east of the Cascade Crest Trail and east of the Big White Salmon River in Klickitat County) and western Washington (all lands lying west of the Cascade Crest Trail and west of and including the Big White Salmon River in Klickitat County).(c) No transfer of cervids between Washington department of fish and wildlife regions unless written permission and conditions for the transfer are obtained from the department prior to the transfer.(d) No intake/admission of cervids from outside of the Washington department of fish and wildlife region in which the facility is located. If any cervid is brought to a wildlife rehabilitation facility from outside that facility's Washington department of fish and wildlife region, the animal must be euthanized.(e) Wildlife possessed for rehabilitation may be transferred between Washington wildlife rehabilitators without prior department approval if the receiving wildlife rehabilitator is permitted to possess those species and geographic restrictions are followed.(5) A violation of this section is punishable under RCW 77.15.290, Unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife-Penalty.Wash. Admin. Code § 220-450-150
Decodified by WSR 17-05-112, Filed 2/15/2017, effective 3/18/2017. Recodified from § 232-12-857.Amended by WSR 19-06-038, Filed 3/1/2019, effective 4/1/2019Statutory 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), § 232-12-857, filed 8/30/13, effective 9/30/13.