040-45 Wyo. Code R. § 45-14

Current through April 27, 2019

Section 45-14 - Care, Treatment and Disposition of Wildlife

(a) A DVM shall approve all medications, medical treatments, diagnostic and prognostic procedures. Anesthesia and surgery shall be conducted only by a DVM or under direct DVM supervision.

(b) If the permittee or DVM determines that any wildlife is not likely to survive, the wildlife shall be euthanized immediately by the DVM or permittee.

(c) As soon as it can be determined that sick or injured wildlife is not likely to recover within one-hundred eighty (180) days, the wildlife shall be euthanized; unless Department approval is given for extended care.

(d) Factors that shall be considered in determining what action should be taken relative to injured wildlife include:

• (i) Type, extent and severity of injury(ies);

• (ii) Physical condition of injured wildlife; and,

• (iii) Any other relevant factors that indicate no reasonable action would be practical or effective for the rehabilitation of the animal involved.

(e) No public contact shall be allowed with any wildlife held under a permit granted pursuant to this regulation; unless otherwise approved in writing by the Department.

(f) Any dead wildlife shall be disposed of by appropriate burial, incineration or other lawful disposition or transferred to the Department upon request of the Department. In no case shall a rehabilitator retain possession of any dead wildlife or parts thereof.

(g) Permittees may temporarily transfer physical possession of an injured raptor to a person permitted to practice falconry in accordance with Commission regulations, for conditioning. A copy of all Commission regulations can be viewed at any Department Regional Office or the Headquarters Office.

• (i) The raptor shall be returned to the rehabilitator within one-hundred eighty (180) days from the time the rehabilitator originally received the raptor; unless Department approval is given for extended care.

(h) Permittees may use volunteers who are not permitted by this Regulation under their supervision at the wildlife rehabilitators facility(ies), provided that the wildlife rehabilitator maintains current records including name, address, telephone number, and dates worked for all volunteers.

(i) Any other person may care for the wildlife held by a permittee when authorized in writing by the permittee provided that, if the period of care exceeds thirty (30) days, the Department shall be notified in writing of such temporary care provisions within three (3) calendar days from the inception of temporary care. Such written notification shall include the name(s) of the person(s) providing temporary care, the reason or need for temporary care status, and the number of days temporary care is to be maintained. Persons providing temporary care shall do so at the facility(ies) locations) approved in the wildlife rehabilitation permit application. The Department may remove wildlife from temporary care when such temporary care has been instituted contrary to the provisions of this regulation. Those persons specified in Section 8(b) shall not be authorized to perform temporary care.

(j) All wildlife held under authority of a Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit shall not be:

• (i) Maintained as pets;

• (ii) Intentionally tamed;

• (iii) Transferred to a person not properly permitted;

• (iv) Sold, exchanged for consideration or bartered; or,

• (v) Maintained in unapproved facility(ies) or by unauthorized person(s) or maintained for a period longer than that specified in this regulation.

(k) The permit does not authorize the use of injured/recovering wildlife for educational purposes.

• (i) The permittee's Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit shall not authorize the permittee to hold nonreleasable wildlife for the sole purpose of placing them in educational programs; and,

• (ii) If a person desires to hold birds for educational purposes, the person shall apply to the Department for consideration of the issuance of a permit under Commission Regulation Chapter 3 3, Issuance of Scientific and Educational Permits, revised as of January 22, 2014, and which does not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter. A copy of all Commission regulations can be viewed at any Department Regional Office or the Headquarters Office.

(l) Wildlife for which recovery from disease, injury or debilitation in the permittee's judgment is not anticipated shall be:

• (i) Donated by the permittee to a zoo, museum or natural history organization approved in writing by the Department; or,

• (ii) Shall be euthanized by the permittee, unless the permittee is otherwise directed by the Department.

• (iii) Orphaned wildlife that, in the judgment of the permittee, cannot be released to the wild due to a lack of behavioral traits enabling such wildlife to survive without dependence on human aid and sustenance or to imprinting on humans, shall be disposed of as stipulated in this subsection.

(m) The Department reserves the right to make final judgment as to the capacity of wildlife to recover from disease, injury or debilitation or for orphans to be successfully reared and released.

• (i) The Department may;
  • (A) Direct the disposal of such wildlife by transfer to another rehabilitator;
  • (B) Release to the wild; or,
  • (C) Euthanize, when in the Department's judgment, the health, welfare, and safety of such wildlife, the public, free-ranging wildlife, or domestic animals shall be best served by such disposal. In making such decisions, the Department may consult with DVMs, rehabilitators, or other experts or qualified persons as the Department shall deem advisable. Any actions directed by the Department under this subsection shall be the wildlife rehabilitator's financial responsibility.
  • (D) Order that specific wildlife be released, transferred, surrendered, or humanely euthanized by or at the expense of the wildlife rehabilitator, and may seize and remove wildlife from the custody of the permittee if the Department deems it necessary for the welfare of such wildlife, or other wildlife, domestic animals, for the welfare and safety of humans, or for failure to comply with any provisions of the permit.

040-45 Wyo. Code R. § 45-14