Possession of Wild Animal: Related Statutes
Statute by category![]() |
Citation | Summary |
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TX - Trade - Shark Fins | V.T.C.A., Parks & Wildlife Code §§ 66.216; 66.2161; 66.218 | Effective July 1, 2106: a person may not buy or offer to buy, sell or offer to sell, possess for the purpose of sale, transport, or ship for the purpose of sale, barter, or exchange a shark fin regardless of where the shark was taken or caught. A person who violates Section 66.2161 or a proclamation adopted under that section commits an offense that is a Class B Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor. |
TX - Wildlife, wolves - Subchapter B. Nongame Animals | V. T. C. A., Parks & Wildlife Code § 63.101 - 104 | Under these Texas statutes, no person may hunt, sell, buy or possess a live or dead bat, with exceptions. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor. It is a felony to possess, transport, receive, or release a live wolf in Texas (with exceptions). It is a class B misdemeanor to sell a living armadillo in Texas (with exceptions). |
UK - Dangerous - Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 ("DWAA") | 1976 c. 38 |
The Dangerous Wild Animals Act ("DWAA") was originally enacted in 1976 and amended in 2010. The act ensures that individuals who keep wild animals do so in a way that minimizes the risk to the public. In particular, the act provides that no person may keep any dangerous wild animal except under the authority of a licence granted by a local authority. The local authority that holds the licence may enter the premises where the animal is being kept at all reasonable times to determine whether an offence has been committed in violation of the act. Zoos, circuses, and pet shops are exempt from the act. The act has an accompanying Schedule that specifies the kinds of dangerous wild animals for which a person must obtain a licence under the act. |
UK - Wildlife - Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 | 2017 No. 1012 | These Regulations consolidated the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010, and made minor modifications. Part 3, regulation 43 makes it an offence (subject to exceptions) to deliberately capture, kill or disturb certain wild animals or to trade in them. Regulation 45 prohibits the use of certain methods of capturing or killing wild animals. |
UK- Wildlife - Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 | Chapter 69 | An Act prohibiting and limiting actions involving wild animals, and the primary piece of legislation for wildlife protection in the UK. Prohibitions include taking, injuring, killing and disturbing. It is also an offence to disturb places used for shelter and protection. Provides protections for wild bird nests and eggs, as well as for animal species. Proof of intention is required for an offence under the Act. |
UT - Endangered Species - Chapter 20. Enforcement--Violations and Penalties | U.C.A. 1953 § 23A-5-309 - 314 | This Utah statute criminalizes the intentional or reckless abandonment of a carcass or killing of wildlife for pecuniary gain. The statute lists the restitution value of species protected under the code (bald eagles $1,000 and golden eagles $500). Further, the statute proscribes mandatory incarceration for felony convictions (aggregate value of species taken over $500) where the motive of the individual was pecuniary gain. |
UT - Hunting - § 23-20-4.5. Illegal taking, possession, or wanton destruction of protected wildlife | U.C.A. 1953 § 23A-5-312 (formerly cited as U.C.A. 1953 § 23-20-4.5) | This statute lists the restitution amounts for the illegal killing of certain species (including bald and golden eagles) of wildlife, with enhanced monetary penalties for "trophy" animals. These funds are used in educational and wildlife enforcement activities by the state. |
UT - Predator Control - Chapter 23. Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Act | U.C.A. 1953 § 4-23-101 - 111 | This Utah statute is known as the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Act. It creates the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Board and Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Account. This act also makes it a class B misdemeanor to hold a raccoon or coyote in captivity (with exceptions). |
UT - Wildlife - Title 23. Wildlife Resources Code of Utah | U.C.A. 1953 § 23A-1-101 - 205 (formerly U.C.A. 1953 § 23-13-1 - 19) | Under these Utah statutes, all wildlife is the property of the state unless held in private ownership, but it is illegal to hold protected wildlife in captivity, with exceptions, such as for furbearers. |
VT - Endangered wildlife - Chapter 124. Trade in Covered Animal Parts or Products | 10 V.S.A. § 5501 - 5508 | This Vermont chapter, enacted in 2022, relates to the trade in certain animal products. Under the law, a person shall not purchase, sell, offer for sale, or possess with intent to sell any item that the person knows or should know is a covered animal part or product. A covered animal part includes certain big cat species, elephants, giraffes, hippopotamuses, mammoths, mastodons, pangolins, endangered rays, rhinoceroses, sea turtles, endangered sharks, certain whales, and certain ape species. Exceptions exist for activities authorized under federal law, parts with "antique status" as defined, among others. For a first offense, a person shall be assessed an administrative penalty of not more than $1,000.00 nor less than $400.00. |
VT - Exotic pet, wildlife - § 4709. Importation, stocking wild animals | 10 V.S.A. § 4709 | This Vermont law provides that a person may not bring into the state or possess any live wild bird or animal of any kind, unless the person obtains from the commissioner a permit to do so. Applicants shall pay a permit fee of $100.00. |
VT - Hunting - § 4714. Importation and possession of animals for hunting | 10 V.S.A. § 4714 | This Vermont law states that a person shall not import or possess any live animal for the purpose of taking by hunting, unless the commissioner has issued the person an importation and possession permit. |
WA - Beavers - 77.32.585. Release of wild beavers | West's RCWA 77.32.585 | This Washington law states that the department shall permit the release of wild beavers on public and private lands with agreement from the property owner under specified conditions. |
WA - Exotic Pet - Chapter 16.30. Dangerous Wild Animals | West's RCWA 16.30.005 - 900 | This Washington chapter passed in 2007 regulates the keeping of dangerous wild animals. By definition, a potentially dangerous wild animal includes, among others, lions, tigers, captive-bred cougars, jaguars, cheetahs, leopards, wolves, (but excluding wolf-hybrids), bears, hyenas, non-human primates, elephants, rhinoceroses, certain reptiles, and venomous snakes. A person shall not own, possess, keep, harbor, bring into the state, or have custody or control of a potentially dangerous wild animal. A person in legal possession of a potentially dangerous wild animal prior to July 22, 2007, and who is the legal possessor of the animal may keep possession of the animal for the remainder of the animal's life. |
WA - Fish - 77.15.250. Unlawful release of fish, shellfish, or wildlife--Penalty--Unlawful release of deleterious exotic wildlif | West's RCWA 77.15.250 | Under this Washington statute, a person is guilty of unlawfully releasing, planting, possessing, or placing fish, shellfish, or wildlife (gross misdemeanor) if the person knowingly releases such animals within the state, and the animals have not been classified as deleterious wildlife. A person is guilty of unlawfully releasing, planting, possessing, or placing deleterious exotic wildlife (class C felony) if the person knowingly releases animals classified as deleterious. |
WA - Trade - 77.15.260. Unlawful trafficking in fish, shellfish, or wildlife--Penalty | West's RCWA 77.15.260 | This Washington statute pertains to unlawful trafficking in fish, shellfish, and wildlife. A person is guilty of unlawful trafficking in the second degree if s/he traffics in such animals with a wholesale value of less than $250 and the animals are unclassified or classified as game, food fish, shellfish, game fish, or protected wildlife. Unlawful trafficking in the first degree occurs when the animals have a value of $250 or more or the animals are classified as endangered or deleterious exotic wildlife. |
WA - Wildlife - 77.15.790. Negligently feeding, attempting to feed, or attracting large wild carnivores to land or a building--I | West's RCWA 77.15.790, 792 | These two Washington laws deal with the unauthorized feeding of large wild carnivores. A person may not negligently feed or attempt to feed large wild carnivores or negligently attract large wild carnivores to land or a building. If a person who is issued a written warning fails to contain, move, or remove the food, food waste, or other substance as directed, the person commits an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW. |
WI - Exotic pets - Chapter 169. Captive Wildlife | W. S. A. 169.01 - 46 | The Wisconsin wildlife laws require a license to take a wild animal from the wild or to import one into the state. A license is also required to exhibit, breed, rehabilitate, hunt, and/or purchase wild animals. Violations can result in fines, forfeiture, and/or imprisonment. |
WI - Hunting - 951.09. Shooting at caged or staked animals | W.S.A. 951.09 | This Wisconsin statute prohibits the killing or aiding in killing or wounding by use of deadly weapon of any animal that is tied, staked out, caged or otherwise intentionally confined in a man-made enclosure, regardless of size. However, nothing in this section prohibits the shooting of any wild game in its wild state. |
WI - Import - 95.20. Import and movement of animals | W. S. A. 95.20 | Under this Wisconsin statute, the importation or movement of animals may be prohibited or regulated if it is necessary to prevent the introduction or spread of a disease that threatens the health of animals or of humans. |
WV - Exotic Pet - § 20-2-51. Permit for keeping pets; § 20-2-52. Permits for roadside menageries | W. Va. Code, § 20-2-51; W. Va. Code, § 20-2-52 | This West Virginia statute provides that the state fish and game director may issue a permit to a person to keep and maintain in captivity as a pet, a wild animal acquired from a commercial dealer or during the legal open season. The fee is charged is two dollars. |
WV - Exotic Pets - Article 34. Dangerous Wild Animals Act | W. Va. Code, § 19-34-1 to 9 | The State of West Virginia found the possession of dangerous wild animals to present a serious public health and safety concern. Because of this, the state prohibits a person from possessing a dangerous wild animal unless the animal was owned prior to June 1, 2015 and the owner obtained a permit. Under this statute, a “Dangerous wild animal” means a mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian or aquatic animal, including a hybrid that is dangerous to humans, other animals or the environment due to its inherent nature and capability to do significant harm. |
WV - Hunting - § 20-2-5a. Forfeiture by person causing injury, death or destruction | W. Va. Code, § 20-2-5a | Under this statute, defendants must pay an additional monetary penalty in the form of a "replacement cost" for the unlawful killing of certain listed species ($5,000 for each bald or golden eagle killed). If two defendants were implicated in the killing, each must pay the full penalty. |
WV - Scientific research - § 20-2-50. Permit to hunt, kill, etc., wildlife for scientific or propagation purposes | W. Va. Code, § 20-2-50 | Under this West Virginia law, the director may issue a permit to a person to hunt, kill, take, capture or maintain in captivity wildlife exclusively for scientific purposes, but not for any commercial purposes. |
WY - Grizzly Bear - Article 10. Grizzly Bear Relocation | W. S. 1977 § 23-1-1001 | This Wyoming statute requires that, when a grizzly bear is relocated, that the department must notify the sheriff and issue a press release to the media and sheriff. The press release must provide the date and location of the relocation, and the number of bears to be relocated. |
WY - Predatory Animals - Chapter 6. Predatory Animals. | W. S. 1977 § 11-6-101 - 313 | This first article of the chapter allows owners of livestock to fill out an application with the board of county commissioners to receive permission to eradicate predatory animals. The second article of the chapter outlines the composition and function of the state predator management advisory board. Article 3 outlines the Wyoming animal damage management program. In that section, "predatory animal is defined as any coyote, jackrabbit, porcupine, raccoon, red fox, skunk or stray cat; and gray wolves except where they are designated as trophy game animals. |
WY - Wildlife, exotic hybrid - Chapter 1. Game and Fish Administration. | W. S. 1977 §§ 23-1-101 to 109 | This section of Wyoming statutes states that all wildlife in the state is considered the property of the state. It further provides that there is no private ownership of live animals classified in this act as big or trophy game animals. Exotic species means any wild animals, including amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans or birds not found in a wild, free or unconfined status in Wyoming. This section also contains the management laws for delisted gray wolves that were repealed in 2012. |
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