H-4262.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2807

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives Pennington, Alexander and Mielke

Read first time 01/20/98.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Allowing the department of fish and wildlife to identify nonnative wildlife species that are dangerous to people, and prohibit bringing or keeping those animals in this state.

    AN ACT Relating to protecting citizens from dangerous wildlife; adding a new section to chapter 77.12 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:

    In addition to the authority conveyed to the department of health in chapter 16.70 RCW and to the department of agriculture in chapter 16.36 RCW, the department of fish and wildlife may by rule identify nonnative wildlife species that pose a physical threat to the safety of Washington citizens.  It is unlawful for any person to bring into or keep in the state animals so identified by the department. This prohibition on bringing and keeping these animals in the state does not apply to zoos, animal research facilities, or similar facilities.  The prohibition applies to individuals desiring to keep these animals as pets.  The department shall establish criteria to evaluate whether a nonnative wildlife species poses a physical threat to the safety of citizens and to identify the facilities to which the prohibition does not apply.  Any person may ask the department to evaluate a nonnative wildlife species for consideration under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The legislature finds that keeping tigers and other nonnative species of the family felidae with male adult body weight averaging over two hundred fifty pounds as pets poses a physical threat to the safety of citizens living near the big cats.  The department of fish and wildlife shall prohibit the import of these animals as part of implementing section 1 of this act.  Any such animals being kept as pets in the state of Washington must be relocated to another state or to a facility within the state, such as a zoo, within thirty days after the effective date of this act.

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