[Link to administrative provision - Privately Held Exotic and Game Mammals (OAR 635-064-0010)]
609.309. Policy on regulation of exotic animals
609.310. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 1; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.312. Provision of informational materials required
609.315. Renumbered 609.345 in 2009 by the Legislative Counsel.
609.319. Renumbered 609.341 in 2009 by the Legislative Counsel.
609.320. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 2; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.325. Conditions for keeping exotic animal
609.329. Liability of keeper for escape or injury
609.330. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 3; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.335. Permits; rules; fee; revocation; warning
609.340. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 4; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.345. Permit requirement exceptions
609.350. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 5; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.351. Permit to keep exotic animals owned prior to January 1, 2010
609.355. Permit to keep exotic animals in registered facilities
Notwithstanding the provisions of ORS chapters 496, 497 and 498 relating to wildlife, and ORS 609.305 to 609.335 and 609.992 relating to exotic animals, a city or county may prohibit by ordinance the keeping of wildlife, as defined in ORS 496.004, and may prohibit by ordinance the keeping of exotic animals as defined in ORS 609.305.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1977, c. 802, § 3; Laws 1985, c. 437, § 9.
609.305. "Exotic animal" defined
As used in ORS 609.305 to 609.335 and 609.992, “exotic animal” means:
(1) Any member of the family Felidae not indigenous to Oregon, except the species Felis catus (domestic cat);
(2) Any nonhuman primate;
(3) Any nonwolf member of the family Canidae not indigenous to Oregon, except the species Canis familiaris (domestic dog);
(4) Any bear, except the black bear (Ursus americanus); and
(5) Any member of the order Crocodylia.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1985, c. 437, § 2; Laws 1999, c. 699, § 3; Laws 2009, c. 492, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.
609.309. Policy on regulation of exotic animals
It is the policy of this state to protect the public against health and safety risks that exotic animals pose to the community, ensure the health, welfare and safety of exotic animals and ensure the security of facilities in which exotic animals are kept, so as to avoid undue physical or financial risk to the public.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1985, c. 437, § 1; Laws 1999, c. 699, § 4; Laws 2009, c. 492, § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.
609.310. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 1; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.312. Provision of informational materials required
A person who sells an exotic animal must, prior to accepting the offer to purchase, provide the prospective purchaser of the exotic animal with informational material approved by the State Department of Agriculture regarding the care, husbandry, health and nutritional needs of the exotic animal. This section does not allow the sale of an exotic animal to a person located in this state other than an entity described in ORS 609.315.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1999, c. 699, § 2; Laws 2009, c. 492, § 3, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.
609.315. Renumbered 609.345 in 2009 by the Legislative Counsel.
609.319. Renumbered 609.341 in 2009 by the Legislative Counsel.
609.320. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 2; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.325. Conditions for keeping exotic animal
Any person who keeps an exotic animal shall keep the animal under conditions of confinement or control that, given the nature of the animal, would be imposed by a reasonable and prudent keeper to avoid physical or financial risk to the public as a result of escape of the animal or otherwise.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1985, c. 437, § 4; Laws 1999, c. 699, § 7.
609.329. Liability of keeper for escape or injury
(1) A keeper of an exotic animal is strictly liable for:
(a) Costs incurred by any person or city, county or state agency in attempting to remedy the animal's escape from custody;
(b) Personal injury, property damage or similar loss directly or indirectly caused by the animal's escape from custody, the lack of custody over the animal or efforts to remedy the animal's escape from custody; and
(c) Personal injury directly caused by the animal while in custody.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, if an injury or escape by an exotic animal is in whole or in part the result of a willful unlawful act by a person other than the keeper, the keeper's liability for damages resulting from the escape or injury is the amount of total damages multiplied by the percentage of fault attributable to the keeper's negligence.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1985, c. 437, § 5; Laws 1999, c. 699, § 8.
609.330. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 3; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.335. Permits; rules; fee; revocation; warning
(1) The State Department of Agriculture shall adopt reasonable rules for issuing permits to keep exotic animals and establishing conditions for keeping the exotic animals. The conditions shall be directed toward ensuring the health, welfare and safety of the exotic animals and, where necessary, the security of facilities in which the exotic animals are kept so as to avoid undue physical or financial risk to the public. The rules shall be no more restrictive upon keepers of exotic animals than is reasonably necessary to carry out the purposes of ORS 609.309.
(2) The department may revoke a permit upon finding a violation of rules adopted under this section, or the department may issue a finding of violation and a warning to remedy the violation by a specified date.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1985, c. 437, § 7; Laws 1999, c. 699, § 9; Laws 2009, c. 492, § 6, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.
609.340. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 4; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
(1) A person may not keep an exotic animal in this state unless the person possesses a valid State Department of Agriculture permit for that animal issued prior to January 1, 2010, or issued as provided in ORS 609.351.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, a person keeping an exotic animal in this state may not breed that animal.
(3) A person may not keep an exotic animal in this state for more than 30 days after the expiration, revocation or suspension of a permit.
(4)(a) A person may breed a small exotic feline if the person:
(A) Is exempt from the requirements for a permit under ORS 609.345; or
(B) Breeds a small exotic feline with a member of the species Felis catus (domestic cat), and:
(i) The person has a permit issued by the State Department of Agriculture under ORS 609.351; and
(ii) The person provides written documentation, including the person's business license, that the person bred the animals for the purpose of retail sale of the offspring.
(b) As used in this subsection, “small exotic feline” means a member of the family Felidae, except the species Felis catus (domestic cat), that weighs 50 pounds or less when fully mature.
CREDIT(S)
Renumbered from 609.319 in 2009 by the Legislative Counsel. Amended by Laws 2009, c. 492, § 5, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.
609.345. Permit requirement exceptions
(1) The requirements for a permit in ORS 609.335 and 609.341 do not apply to the following:
(a) A wildlife rehabilitation center operated under a valid permit issued by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission pursuant to ORS 497.308.
(b) A facility operated under a valid license or research facility registration issued by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to the federal Animal Welfare Act of 1970 (7 U.S.C. 2133 or 2136).
(c) An exotic animal protection organization, including humane societies and animal shelters, incorporated under ORS chapter 65, that houses an exotic animal at the written request of the state or a state agency for a period not to exceed 30 days.
(d) A law enforcement agency.
(e) A licensed veterinary hospital or clinic.
(f) An educational facility that houses a member of the order Crocodylia pursuant to a written request of the state, a local government or a state agency stating the need to house the member of the order Crocodylia at the educational facility.
(g) A person or organization that takes in an exotic animal in an emergency situation but that does not otherwise qualify for an exemption under this section. The person or organization may keep the exotic animal for not more than 48 hours during which time the person or organization must make a good faith effort to contact a law enforcement agency, the State Department of Agriculture or a wildlife rehabilitation center described in paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(h) A person with a disability as defined in 42 U.S.C. 12102(2)(A) who possesses a service monkey if:
(A) The person presents, at the request of the State Department of Agriculture, written proof from a physician licensed under ORS 677.100 to 677.228 that the person has a disability and that the service monkey performs specific tasks for the benefit of the person with the disability;
(B) The service monkey was obtained from, and trained at, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities; and
(C) The person complies with any requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act relating to service animals.
(2) As used in subsection (1)(h) of this section, “service monkey” means a nonhuman primate of the genus Cebus that is trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability.
Credits
Renumbered from 609.315 in 2009 by the Legislative Counsel. Amended by Laws 2017, c. 409, § 17, eff. Jan. 1, 2018.
609.350. Laws 1963, c. 217, § 5; repealed by Laws 1977, c. 802, § 15
609.351. Permit to keep exotic animals owned prior to January 1, 2010
(1) The State Department of Agriculture may issue a permit to a person to keep an exotic animal if the person applies for the permit within 90 days after January 1, 2010.
(2) The department may, within one year of January 1, 2010, issue a permit to a person to possess an exotic animal if the person submits satisfactory proof to the department that the person possessed the exotic animal prior to January 1, 2010 and that the person meets requirements of rules adopted by the department under ORS 609.335.
(3) The department may charge a fee to issue or renew a permit under this section. The fee may not exceed $100. Each permit or renewal of a permit is valid for two years.
CREDIT(S)
Added by Laws 2009, c. 492, § 8, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.
609.355. Permit to keep exotic animals in registered facilities
The State Department of Agriculture may issue a permit to a person to keep an exotic animal if:
(1) The person operated a facility under a valid license or research facility registration issued by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to the federal Animal Welfare Act of 1970 (7 U.S.C. 2133 or 2136);
(2) The person does not renew the person's license or registration described in subsection (1) of this section;
(3) The person applies for the permit within 90 days after the renewal date of the license or registration; and
(4) The person meets the requirements of rules adopted by the department under ORS 609.335.
CREDIT(S)
Added by Laws 2009, c. 492, § 9, eff. Jan. 1, 2010.