Summary: This rule provides amnesty to non-native pet owners who voluntarily relinquish their illegal animals to state or county wildlife agencies or during Commission-sponsored amnesty events.
It is the policy of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to encourage persons possessing unwanted non-native fish or wildlife as pets to relinquish such pets to qualified adopters as an alternative to releasing them into Florida's environment. In furtherance of this policy, the Commission will sponsor amnesty events for such purpose.
(1) Persons adopting nonnative species through an FWC sponsored amnesty event may accept non-native fish or wildlife from persons who have not obtained a permit from the Commission for possession of such fish or wildlife.
(2) Any person relinquishing or adopting non-native fish or wildlife pursuant to this rule is hereby deemed not to be in violation of the permit requirement of subsection 68A-6.0023(7), F.A.C.
(3) Relinquishing reptiles of concern, or conditional snakes and lizards.
(a) Persons with a valid license to possess or exhibit reptiles designated as reptiles of concern after July 1, 2010, may accept reptiles of concern as defined in subsection 68A-6.007(1), F.A.C. from persons who have not obtained a permit from the Commission for possession of such reptiles without violating the provisions of subsection 68A-6.0023(7), F.A.C., which prohibits the buying, selling or transferring of wildlife to or from an unpermitted entity within Florida.
(b) Persons authorized to possess conditional snakes and lizards may accept conditional snakes and lizards listed in subsection 68-5.004(4), F.A.C., from persons who have not obtained a permit from the Commission for possession of such conditional snakes and lizards without violating the provisions of subsection 68A-6.0023(7), F.A.C., which prohibits the buying, selling or transferring of wildlife to or from an unpermitted entity within Florida.
(c) Persons accepting unpermitted reptiles of concern, or conditional snakes and lizards, shall complete a Captive Wildlife Inventory-Donated Reptile form FWCDLE_624IV (06-10), which is adopted and incorporated herein by reference, which is available from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Law Enforcement, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600, and submit the form to the same address within 72 hours of acquisition.
(d) Any person relinquishing or accepting reptiles of concern, or conditional snakes and lizards, under this subsection is authorized to make such transfer and is not in violation of the prohibitions on buying, selling or transferring contained in subsection 68A-6.0023(7), F.A.C.
(e) Persons accepting unpermitted reptiles of concern, or conditional snakes or lizards, under this subsection must otherwise comply with all permit conditions and Commission rules, specifically including provisions in rules 68A-6.007, 68A-6.0071, and 68A-6.0072, F.A.C.
(4) State and county wildlife control agencies may accept non-native fish and wildlife from persons who have not obtained a permit from the Commission for possession of such fish or wildlife.
Credits
Adopted Dec. 27, 2018.
Authority: Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.