Definitions used in rules of the fish and wildlife commission are defined in RCW 77.08.010, and the definitions for wildlife interactions are defined in RCW 77.36.010. In addition, unless otherwise provided, the following definitions are applicable to this chapter:

"Act of damaging" means that private property is in the process of being damaged by wildlife.

"Big game" means those animals listed in RCW 77.08.030.

"Claim" means an application to the department for compensation under this chapter.

"Claimant" means owner of commercial crop, livestock, or other property who has filed a wildlife damage claim for cash compensation.

"Commercial crop" means a commercially raised horticultural and/or agricultural product and includes the growing or harvested product, but does not include livestock, forest land, or rangeland. For the purposes of this chapter, Christmas trees and managed pasture grown using agricultural methods including one or more of the following: Seeding, planting, fertilizing, irrigating, and all parts of horticultural trees, are considered a commercial crop and are eligible for cash compensation.

"Compensation" means a cash payment, materials, or service.

"Completed written claim" means that all of the information required on a department property damage claim form is supplied and complete, including all supplemental information and certifications required to process the claim.

"Damage" means economic losses caused by wildlife interactions.

"Damage claim assessment" means department approved methods to evaluate crop loss and value caused by deer or elk damage to commercial crops, livestock losses and value caused by bear, cougar, or wolves, or damages to other property.

"Domestic animal" means any animal that is lawfully possessed and controlled by a person.

"Eligible farmer" means an owner who satisfies the definition of eligible farmer pursuant to RCW 82.08.855 (4)(b)(i) through (iv).

"Emergent" means an unforeseen circumstance beyond the control of the landowner or tenant, that presents a real and immediate threat to crops, domestic animals, or fowl.

"Game animal" means wild animals that shall not be hunted except as authorized by the commission.

"Guard dog" means dogs trained for the purpose of protecting livestock from attack by wildlife or for herding livestock.

"Immediate family member" means spouse, state registered domestic partner, brother, sister, grandparent, parent, child, or grandchild.

"Immediate threat of physical harm" means that animal-to-human bodily contact is imminent; and the animal is in attack posture/mode.

"Livestock" means horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, donkeys, mules, llamas, and alpacas.

"Owner" means a person who has a legal right to commercial crops, livestock, or other private property that was damaged during a wildlife interaction.

"Physical act of attacking" means actual or imminent animal-to-human or animal-to-animal physical contact.

"Public hunting" means an owner satisfies the "public hunting" requirement for his or her land, as defined in WAC 220-440-190.

"Wild animal" means those species of the class Mammalia whose members exist in Washington in a wild state.

"Wildlife control operator" means a person who has successfully completed the training and obtained one or more levels of certification from the department to assist landowners to prevent or control problems caused by wildlife.

"Wildlife interaction" means the negative interaction and the resultant damage between wildlife and commercial crops, livestock, or other property.

PDFWAC 220-440-020

Definitions.