Article 2. Permits of California Fish And Game Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 2.

(a) (1) The department, in cooperation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, may, upon application, issue a written permit to import into, possess, or transport within this state any wild animal enumerated in, or designated pursuant to, Section 671 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, upon a determination that the animal is not detrimental or that no damage or detriment can be caused to agriculture, native wildlife, the public health or safety, or the welfare of the animal, as a result of the importation, transportation, or possession.
  (2) A permit may be issued to any person only upon application and payment of a nonrefundable application fee in an amount determined by the department pursuant to Section 2150.2. Application forms shall be provided by the department and shall be designed to ascertain the applicant's ability to properly care for the wild animal or animals the applicant seeks to import, transport, or possess. Proper care includes providing adequate food, shelter, and veterinary care, and other requirements the commission may designate.
  (b) The commission or the department shall deny a permit and the commission shall revoke a permit if it finds that a permittee or applicant has failed to meet, or is unable to meet, the requirements for importing, transporting, possessing, or confining any wild animal as established pursuant to Section 2120.
  (c) A zoo is exempt from any permit requirement pursuant to this chapter except for animals whose importation, transportation, or possession is determined by the department, in cooperation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, to be detrimental or cause damage to agriculture, native wildlife, or the public health or safety. For purposes of this section, "zoo" means any organization which is accredited as meeting the standards and requirements of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Any California organization which is not accredited by the AZA may apply to the department for a waiver of specified permit requirements of this chapter. The department may grant or deny the request for a waiver for justified reasons. Foreign zoos outside this state are not subject to the permit requirements of this chapter beyond those specific permit requirements affecting California zoos or organizations with which they are collaborating. Any organization may appeal the determination of the department to the commission.
  (d) An exhibitor licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture or a dealer who is so licensed who buys any animal specified in subdivision (c) from a zoo within the state, may sell or transfer it only to a private individual who has a permit issued pursuant to this section prior to the receipt of the animal or to a public or private organization that has a permit issued pursuant to this section prior to the receipt of the animal. The exhibitor or dealer who sells or transfers that animal shall pay a fee pursuant to Section 2150.2 to the department.
  (e) Any university, college, governmental research agency, or other bona fide scientific institution, as defined in regulations adopted by the commission, engaging in scientific or public health research is exempt from any permit requirement pursuant to this chapter except for animals whose importation, transportation, or possession is determined by the department, in cooperation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, to be detrimental or cause damage to agriculture, native wildlife, or the public health or safety.
  (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, every zoo, university, college, governmental research agency, or other bona fide scientific institution shall comply with the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 2193 for all animals the zoo, university, college, governmental research agency, or other bona fide scientific institution possesses that are enumerated in, or designated pursuant to, Section 671 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations.

Fees collected pursuant to this chapter for permits, permit applications, and facility inspections shall be deposited in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. The department shall annually identify the amount collected for each type of permit, permit application, or inspection for which a fee is collected.

The department shall establish fees for permits, permit applications, and facility inspections in amounts sufficient to cover the costs of administering, implementing, and enforcing this chapter.

(a) The director shall appoint a committee to advise the director on the humane care and treatment of wild animals.
  (b) The committee shall make recommendations to the director for the establishment of standards of performance for administration and enforcement, which shall include, but are not limited to, requiring that the eligible local entity possess a knowledge of humane wild animal training methods.
  (c) The committee shall make recommendations to the director as to the frequency of inspections necessary for the enforcement and administration of any provision concerning the possession of, handling of, care for, or holding facilities provided for, a wild animal designated pursuant to Section 2118.
  (d) The committee shall advise and assist the director in entering into memorandums of understanding with eligible local entities and in determining whether the memorandums of understanding meet the requirements of this chapter.

(a) The department or an eligible local entity shall inspect the wild animal facilities, as determined by the director's advisory committee, of each person holding a permit issued pursuant to Section 2150 authorizing the possession of a wild animal.
  (b) In addition to the inspections specified in subdivision (a), the department or an eligible local entity, pursuant to the regulations of the commission, may inspect the facilities and care provided for the wild animal of any person holding a permit issued pursuant to Section 2150 for the purpose of determining whether the animal is being cared for in accordance with all applicable statutes and regulations. The department shall collect an inspection fee, in an amount determined by the department pursuant to Section 2150.2.
  (c) No later than January 1, 2009, the department, in cooperation with the committee created pursuant to Section 2150.3, shall develop, implement, and enter into memorandums of understanding with eligible local entities if the department elects not to inspect every wild animal facility pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b). Eligible local entities shall meet the criteria established in regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2157.

Classes, orders, families, genera, and species which may not be imported, transported, possessed, or released alive in this state solely because of concern for the welfare of the animal may be possessed under permit when the owner can demonstrate that such animal was legally acquired and possessed in California before the effective date of this section. The department may require the owner of an animal which may be possessed under this section to mark or otherwise identify such animal and progeny, so as not to endanger the welfare of that animal, to the satisfaction of the department. The owner shall not transfer such animal or progeny to any other person without prior approval of the department.

A permit shall be issued only upon written application from the person desiring to import or transport the species, enumerating all of the following:
  (a) The approximate number and true scientific name of each species of wild animal for which a permit is requested.
  (b) The carrier and probable point of first arrival in this State of each shipment of such species.
  (c) The purpose for which they are to be imported or transported.
  (d) The name and address of the consignee.
  (e) The name and address of the consignor.

Each permit issued shall set forth all of the following:
  (a) The number and true scientific name of the species of wild animal for which the permit is granted.
  (b) A statement of the manner and conditions under which the entry of such species is permitted.
  (c) A statement of the conditions under which the species shall be kept after importation or during transportation.

Whenever any permit is issued under the provisions of this article, one copy shall be sent by the department to the State Department of Food and Agriculture, one copy to the county agricultural commissioner or to the state plant quarantine officer having jurisdiction at the place designated in the application as the probable point of first arrival in the state of such species, and one copy shall accompany each shipment of wild animals involved.

The provisions of this chapter and regulations adopted pursuant thereto shall apply to the progeny of any wild animal imported or possessed under such laws and regulations, except that no permit shall be required for the possession of progeny if a permit has already been obtained by the owner for the parent, and the progeny are kept at the same site.

Neither the provisions of this chapter nor the regulations of the commission shall prevent any city or county from enacting ordinances relating to the possession or care of wild animals provided such ordinances are more restrictive.

(a) Every person holding a permit issued pursuant to Section 2150 shall uniquely identify each wild mammal that poses a risk to the health and safety of the public and report this identification to the department to maintain in a registry.
  (b) The commission shall adopt regulations that address the following:
  (1) Identify the mammals that pose a risk to the health and safety of the public and are subject to subdivision (a). This identification shall include the following species of mammals: wild cats, elephants, nonhuman primates, bears, and wolves.
  (2) Acceptable forms of identification.
  (3) How and when a permittee must notify the department of the unique identifier required in subdivision (a).
  (c) The department shall establish a registry listing the permit number, type, expiration date, the name and address of the permittee, and an inventory of each mammal and to the identification assigned or affixed to the mammal pursuant to subdivision (a) that is covered by the permit.
  (d) These regulations shall be developed and adopted by the commission, on or before January 1, 2007.