Section 250-RICR-60-00-1.5 - DefinitionsA. Wherever used in these Rules and Regulations the following terms shall be construed as follows: 1. "Department" or "DEM" means the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.2. "Director" means the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, or his/her duly authorized agent or agents.3. "Division" means the Division of Fish amp; Wildlife of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management so-called in the R.I. Gen. Laws;4. "DOH" or "RIDOH" means the Rhode Island Department of Health.5. "Endangered species" means those species of animals designated as threatened or endangered according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as published in 50 C.F.R. § 17.11, incorporated above at § 1.4(A) of this Part, and 50 C.F.R. § 17.12, incorporated above at § 1.4(B) of this Part.6. "Euthanasia" means the humane destruction of an animal accomplished by a method that involves instantaneous loss of consciousness followed immediately by death or by a method that involves anesthesia produced by an agent which causes painless and rapid loss of consciousness and death during that period of unconsciousness. All methods of euthanasia must comply with Rhode Island General Laws.7. "Exotic animals" or "Exotic Wild Animals" means animals not occurring naturally, either presently or historically, within the boundaries of the State of Rhode Island.8. "Exposure" means the possible exposure to the rabies virus via a direct bite or scratch, which results in a break in the skin of the victim or contact between infectious material such as saliva or central nervous system tissue and fluid with mucosa of the eye, nose, or mouth, or via an existing break in the skin.9. "Fish and Wildlife" or "DFW" means the Division of Fish and Wildlife of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, formerly referred to as the Division.10. "IWRC" means the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council.11. "Medicate" or "Dispense Medication" means providing animals medicinal products only when in the controlled environment of a rehabilitation facility and with the direct authority and guidance from a Veterinary Medical Doctor currently licensed in the United States. Notwithstanding exemptions provided within.12. "Native wildlife", "Native Animal", or "Native Wild Animal" means all species of animals, including all subspecies thereof, occurring naturally, either presently or historically, within the boundaries of the State of Rhode Island.13. "Permittee" means the person who holds a valid Special Scientific Collectors Permit to rehabilitate wildlife in Rhode Island.14. "Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, joint stock, company, corporation, association, trust, estate, municipality, or other government entity or other legal entity.15. "Possess" or "Possession" shall mean to exercise dominion or control over a wild animal at any point starting from the point at which a decision is made to capture, import, purchase, breed, keep, accept, or otherwise manage an animal and lasting up to its ultimate disposition.16. "RVS" or "High risk rabies vector species" shall mean those animals considered high risk hosts of the rabies virus and for the purposes of these Regulations shall mean: all Carnivore species (order Carnovora), woodchuck (Marmota monax), and all species of bats (Chiroptera spp.), and any other mammal as may otherwise be determined by the State Rabies Control Board.17. "Sharps" shall mean instruments that have been used in animal or human patient care of treatment, including instruments generated from the preparation of human and animal remains for burial or cremation, or in medical, research, or industrial laboratories, including, but not limited to, hypodermic needles, syringes with or without the attached needle, pasteur pipettes, scalpel blades, blood vials, needles with attached tubing, glass carpules, and glass culture dishes regardless of presence of infectious agents. Also included are other types of broken or unbroken glassware that have been used in animal or human patient care or treatment, such as used slides and cover slips. For the purpose of these Regulations, disposable syringes and needles are considered regulated medical waste after one (1) use.18. "Small mammals" for the purposes of these Regulations shall mean all native terrestrial mammals except: beaver (Castor canadensis), porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), moose (Alces alces), woodchuck (Marmota monax), all bats (Chiroptera spp.), and all carnivores (order Carnivora).19. "Sponsor" means any person currently permitted as a Level 2, 2 X, or 2 V rehabilitator, agreeing to assist no more than three (3) Level 1 apprentices, and no more than seven (7) sub-permittees in accordance with these Regulations.20. "State list" means currently listed wildlife species requiring a permit for handling.21. "State manual" means the most current wildlife rehabilitation manual prepared by the Division of Fish amp; Wildlife.22. "State wildlife rehabilitation manual" means the most current wildlife rehabilitation manual prepared by the Division of Fish amp; Wildlife.23. "Sub-permittee" means person(s) authorized by the Division of Fish and Wildlife to assist currently licensed Level 2, 2 X, 2 V wildlife rehabilitators with the rehabilitation of wildlife in accordance with these Regulations.24. "Supervision" means the oversight and management of the activities of a sub-permittee by the permittee occurring primarily onsite and at a rehabilitation facility but may include periods of indirect oversight of activities conducted independently by the sub-permittee.25. "Transporter" means persons authorized to transport wildlife to licensed wildlife rehabilitators.26. "Wild animal" shall mean any animal other than a domestic animal and includes those animals that may be defined as exotic or native wild animals.27. "Wildlife rehabilitation" means the practice of providing care for injured, orphaned, displaced, or diseased indigenous wild animals including their capture, transport, housing, feeding, and emergency treatment for the primary purpose of release back into the wild.28. "Wildlife rehabilitator" or "Permittee" means persons who holds a valid Special Scientific Collectors Permit to rehabilitate wildlife in Rhode Island.29. "Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island" or "WRARI" shall mean the Rhode Island-based, non-profit organization and the affiliated Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island.250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-60-00-1.5
Amended effective 12/26/2018
Amended effective 7/12/2021
Amended effective 8/7/2024