Rule 1501:31-25-03 | Wild animal rehabilitation permit.
(A) A person with a rehabilitation permit may care for and rehabilitate orphaned, injured, or other wild animals designated by the chief of the division of wildlife for the purpose of releasing the wild animals back to the wild. Provided further, it shall be unlawful to rehabilitate any wild animal without first obtaining a category I or category II rehabilitation permit.
(1) A category I rehabilitation permit will allow the permit holder and their authorized subpermittees to care for and rehabilitate orphans, except deer, raccoons, weasels, skunks, mink, badgers, beaver, raptors, canids, bats, mute swans and state or federal endangered species unless otherwise approved by the chief of the division of wildlife or their designee.
(2) A category II rehabilitation permit will allow the permit holder and their authorized subpermittees to care for and rehabilitate all species of wild animals except deer, coyote, mute swans, or state or federal endangered species unless otherwise approved by the chief of the division of wildlife or their designee.
(B) It shall be unlawful for a rehabilitation permit holder to:
(1) Fail to comply with any provision or condition set forth in their rehabilitation permit;
(2) Fail to keep and maintain accurate records of all animals by species which are held for rehabilitation for a period of two years from the date of release or final disposition, including:
(a) Where the wild animal was found;
(b) The date the wild animal was received;
(c) The reason the wild animal needed rehabilitation or care;
(d) The date and location where the wild animal was released, or the final disposition of the wild animal.
(3) Fail to exhibit the records required by this rule to any official of the division upon demand;
(4) Fail to provide proper facilities for all animals in their care.
(C) The wild animals and the facilities where wild animals are held, cared for, or rehabilitated shall be available for inspection at all reasonable times upon the request of a wildlife officer, constable, sheriff, deputy sheriff, police officer or other law enforcement officers unless the owner or person in charge objects. If the owner or person in charge refuses to permit the inspection, upon filing an affidavit in accordance with law with a court having jurisdiction and upon receiving a warrant, an officer authorized to enforce this rule may proceed with the inspection.
(D) Applicants for a rehabilitation permit must meet the following criteria:
(1) Be eighteen years of age or older;
(2) Complete a division of wildlife approved rehabilitation course or a course established by the Ohio wildlife rehabilitation association and approved by the division of wildlife;
(3) Provide documentation that they have a veterinarian's assistance when needed;
(4) In addition, applicants for category II rehabilitation permit must:
(a) Have at least three years of rehabilitation experience as a category I rehabilitation permit holder, or equivalent experience or training accepted by the division of wildlife;
(b) Provide documentation that they have the ability to properly care for wild animals that are diseased, injured, or need rehabilitative care.
(E) Any wildlife officer may remove any wild animal which is being improperly cared for and provide written notice to the holder of the rehabilitation permit that their permit is suspended until such time as the conditions of the facility or the care and handling deficiencies are corrected.
(F) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code apply to this rule.
Last updated March 1, 2024 at 8:15 AM
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