PERMIT TO REHABILITATE WILDLIFE
NAC 504.490 Issuance; general conditions.
NAC 504.492 Application: Availability; contents; requirements for submission.
NAC 504.494 Terms, conditions, restrictions and expiration.
NAC 504.496 Restrictions on and privileges of holder of permit.
NAC 504.498 Length of period for which wildlife may be held; release, euthanasia and disposal of wildlife.
NAC 504.490 Issuance; general conditions.
1. The Department may issue a permit to rehabilitate wildlife.
2. Wildlife held pursuant to a permit to rehabilitate wildlife is the property of the people of the State of Nevada and must be turned over to the Department upon its request.
3. The name and telephone number of each facility used by a holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife is subject to public disclosure.
4. A permit to rehabilitate wildlife is valid only for the premises or locations described on the permit.
5. The Department will not issue a permit to rehabilitate wildlife for the rehabilitation of:
(a) Coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons, rats, mice, ground squirrels or bats;
(b) Any species of wildlife listed in NAC 503.110, whose possession is prohibited;
(c) Any species of wildlife belonging to the family Cervidae; or
(d) Any species of wildlife whose possession is prohibited by a county or city ordinance that applies to the premises or locations for which the permit is sought.
Credits
AUTHORITY: NRS 501.105, 501.181 and 504.295.
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Wildlife Comm'rs by R151-96, eff. 5-27-98; A by LCB File No. R006-21, 2-28-2022)
NAC 504.492 Application: Availability; contents; requirements for submission.
1. An application for a permit to rehabilitate wildlife may be obtained from:
(a) The headquarters of the Department; or
(b) The regional office of the Department in Fallon, Elko or Las Vegas.
2. The applicant must include on the application for a permit to rehabilitate wildlife:
(a) The name of the applicant;
(b) The physical and mailing addresses of the applicant's residence and place of employment;
(c) The cellular telephone number of the applicant, if any, or telephone number of the applicant's residence;
(d) The electronic mail address of the applicant, if any;
(e) The driver's license number, driver authorization card number or instruction permit number of the applicant, if applicable, if he or she has been issued a driver's license or obtained a driver authorization card or an instruction permit in accordance with NRS 483.291;
(f) The date of birth of the applicant;
(g) The street address or legal description of the premises or locations where the facilities to be used in rehabilitating the wildlife are or will be located;
(h) The name, business address and telephone number, and the signature of the practicing veterinarian licensed in this State who will examine, diagnose and perform veterinary services on and, if required, euthanize the injured, ill, orphaned or otherwise debilitated wildlife;
(i) The name, address and cellular telephone number, if any, or telephone number of each person who will routinely:
(1) Transport the wildlife to be rehabilitated; or
(2) Assist the applicant at the facility where the wildlife will be rehabilitated;
(j) The specific species or taxa of wildlife to be rehabilitated, including:
(1) Amphibians;
(2) Reptiles;
(3) Passerine and nonpasserine birds, other than those birds in the order Falconiformes or Strigiformes;
(4) Raptors and birds in the order Falconiformes or Strigiformes; and
(5) Mammals;
(k) A detailed description of the experience which the applicant has in working with the species or taxa identified in the application, including, but not limited to:
(1) Previous work, which can be verified, in rehabilitating wildlife;
(2) Assistance to a person who holds a current license or permit to rehabilitate wildlife; and
(3) Assistance to a licensed veterinarian who has routinely worked on wildlife;
(l) A complete description, including a diagram, of the holding facilities, cages or aquaria, as appropriate, that will be used to confine the wildlife during its rehabilitation;
(m) If the applicant currently holds or has previously held a similar license or permit in another state, the name of each state in which such a license or permit is held or has been held;
(n) If the applicant has been convicted of violating the laws or regulations relating to wildlife of any state or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service within the 5 years immediately preceding the date of the application, a description of each violation and the name of the state in which the conviction occurred;
(o) Whether, at the time of the application, the privileges granted to the applicant by another state or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to the rehabilitation of wildlife are suspended or revoked; and
(p) The signature of the applicant and the date on which he or she signed the application.
3. The applicant must submit his or her application to the headquarters of the Department. If the applicant intends to rehabilitate wildlife for which he or she is required to obtain a special federal permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the applicant must include with his or her application a copy of the permit or evidence satisfactory to the Department that approval for such a permit is pending. A permit to rehabilitate wildlife issued by the Department is not valid for the purposes of the rehabilitation of wildlife for which a federal permit is required until the Department receives a copy of the federal permit.
4. Before the Department will issue an initial permit to rehabilitate wildlife pursuant to this section, the applicant must provide to the Department:
(a) Documentation which substantiates that the applicant has at least 2 years of practical experience working with a licensed rehabilitator of wildlife; or
(b) A letter which is written by a licensed veterinarian who is experienced in the care of wildlife and which substantiates the qualifications of the applicant to rehabilitate wildlife.
5. If the applicant applies to rehabilitate bobcats, mountain lions or black bears, the applicant must comply with the standards for facilities established for those species in NAC 504.476.
Credits
AUTHORITY: NRS 501.105, 501.181 and 504.295.
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Wildlife Comm'rs by R151-96, eff. 5-27-98; A by R168-99, 1-19-2000; LCB File No. R006-21, 2-28-2022)
NAC 504.494 Terms, conditions, restrictions and expiration.
1. A holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife shall:
(a) Comply with the terms, conditions and restrictions of the permit; and
(b) Allow, at reasonable times, any employee of the Department who is authorized to enforce the provisions of title 45 of NRS free and unrestricted access to inspect the wildlife and holding facilities.
2. On or before January 31 of each year, the holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife shall file a written report with the Department on the activities related to the rehabilitation of wildlife which were conducted during the previous calendar year. The holder of the permit shall include on the report:
(a) The species and number of wildlife received by the holder of the permit and the date that each wildlife was received;
(b) The apparent condition of the wildlife when it was received;
(c) The source or location from which the wildlife was received; and
(d) The disposition of the wildlife as of the date of the report, including, but not limited to:
(1) Whether the wildlife was euthanized, released or transferred and the date that it was euthanized, released or transferred; or
(2) Whether the wildlife is currently in the possession and care of the holder of the permit.
3. The holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife shall notify the Department not later than 48 hours after he or she receives a species of wildlife which is classified as threatened or endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
4. A permit to rehabilitate wildlife:
(a) Is not transferable.
(b) May be cancelled by the Department:
(1) For a violation of any term, condition or restriction of the permit; or
(2) If it is found that the possession of wildlife under the authority of the permit is detrimental to or not otherwise in the best interest of the wildlife.
(c) Does not authorize the taking, possession, transportation, importation, exportation or disposal of wildlife in violation of any applicable federal or state law, or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or any local ordinance.
5. A permit to rehabilitate wildlife expires on December 31 of the second calendar year after the date on which the permit is issued.
Credits
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Wildlife Comm'rs by R151-96, eff. 5-27-98)
NAC 504.496 Restrictions on and privileges of holder of permit.
1. A holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife shall not charge a fee for any rehabilitation service he or she provides. The holder of a permit is solely responsible for all expenses incurred and all actions undertaken pursuant to the permit.
2. The holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife shall not import or export any wildlife in his or her possession under the authority of his or her permit without the express written authorization of the Department. The Department may provide in the permit that the holder of the permit may transfer or export wildlife which cannot be released into the wild to a zoo that is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
3. The holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife may capture, transport, possess, rehabilitate, release and, if appropriate, euthanize wildlife that is injured, ill, orphaned or otherwise debilitated, if that wildlife is specified on his or her permit.
4. The holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife shall not possess any species or taxa of wildlife that is not listed on his or her permit unless he or she notifies the Department within 48 hours after he or she receives the wildlife and the Department approves his or her possession of the wildlife.
5. The holder of a permit may transfer wildlife in his or her possession under the authority of the permit to:
(a) A licensed veterinarian for treatment or euthanasia; or
(b) Any other person who holds a permit to rehabilitate wildlife that is issued by the Department, if the species of wildlife to be transferred is listed on the permit to rehabilitate wildlife held by the person receiving the wildlife.
6. A person shall not sell, barter or trade any wildlife, including parts thereof, whether dead or alive, which is possessed under the authority of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife.
Credits
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Wildlife Comm'rs by R151-96, eff. 5-27-98)
NAC 504.498 Length of period for which wildlife may be held; release, euthanasia and disposal of wildlife.
1. Wildlife may be held pursuant to a permit to rehabilitate wildlife only for such time as is reasonably necessary to make humane disposition of the wildlife, but, except as otherwise provided in this section:
(a) A raptor may be held for not more than 180 days; and
(b) Wildlife other than a raptor may be held for not more than 90 days.
2. A holder of a permit to rehabilitate wildlife may submit a written request to the Department to hold the wildlife longer than the period provided in this section. The Department may require the holder of the permit to rehabilitate wildlife to provide a written, signed statement from a licensed veterinarian which sets forth the medical reasons which necessitate the extension of time.
3. Wildlife which has been rehabilitated must be released:
(a) Into the wild at a time which will be beneficial for the survival of the wildlife; and
(b) Into a habitat which is suitable to sustain that wildlife.
4. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and subsection 2 of NAC 504.496, wildlife which cannot be released into the wild must be euthanized. If the wildlife is a migratory bird or species of wildlife which has been classified as threatened or endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the wildlife may not be euthanized without the approval of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
5. Unless otherwise required in the permit to rehabilitate wildlife, if wildlife which is not classified as threatened or endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is euthanized or otherwise dies during its rehabilitation, the carcass of the wildlife must, within 30 days after the wildlife dies, be:
(a) Disposed of by burial or incineration in accordance with the applicable local ordinances; or
(b) Transferred to an educational facility that holds appropriate state and federal permits.
6. If wildlife which is classified as threatened or endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is euthanized or otherwise dies during its rehabilitation, the carcass of the wildlife must be disposed of as directed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or as directed by the Department.
Credits
(Added to NAC by Bd. of Wildlife Comm'rs by R151-96, eff. 5-27-98)