Authenticated PDF Version
3900 Wildlife
(Penalty Section 7 Del.C. §103(d))
13.1 Permit from Division; Exemption.
13.1.1 It shall be unlawful for any person to hold native wildlife in captivity for the purpose of rehabilitation without a permit from the Division and any other permits required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
13.1.2 Licensed veterinarians are exempt from the permitting requirements of this regulation when rendering treatment to injured wildlife and provisions are made to return any recovered animals to the wild or transfer them to a permitted rehabilitator for further care. Licensed veterinarians may only hold wildlife for as long as veterinary care is required.
13.2 Training, Housing and Veterinary Care; Inspections.
13.2.1 Permit holders must conform to the training, housing, release and veterinary care standards as written in the document “Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation” published by the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. Permit holders must also abide by the rules and policies set forth in the “State of Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitation Rules and Policies” document. Failure to abide by both of these documents may result in revocation of the rehabilitation permit. Animals held under rehabilitation permits must be released to the wild according to policies set forth in the document “State of Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitation Rules and Policies” or euthanized, if release is not feasible, unless the Division under §555 of Title 7 authorizes possession for scientific propagation or educational purposes. For federally listed endangered species and migratory birds an extension must be granted by the migratory bird permit office of the United State Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Division for each individual case. Rehabilitators must not release sick animals into the wild.
13.2.2 Rehabilitation facilities must be available for inspection by Division employees during normal business hours. Normal business hours shall mean Monday through Friday, except those days designated as holidays, during the hours in which the staff of the Division is scheduled to work. Violations of compliance with the Minimum Standards or the Rules and Policies noted in 13.2.1 will result in a written warning or immediate revocation of the rehabilitation permit depending on the violation. Persons receiving a warning will have their facility re-inspected. Failure to address the problem(s) in a timely manner will result in permit revocation. Upon permit revocation, all animals will be removed from the facility and either placed with another rehabilitator, released into the wild, placed with an educational facility, or humanly euthanized.
13.3 Rabies Vector Species
13.3.1 It shall be unlawful for any person to attempt rehabilitation of a rabies vector species without having proof of current pre-exposure immunization against the rabies virus. No permitted rehabilitator shall knowingly expose other non-immunized persons to a rabies vector species. For the purpose of the Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitator Permit, rabies vector species are defined as bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes and woodchucks.
13.3.2 All rehabilitated rabies vector species must be released in the county of origin and the Division must be notified of the release location in the rehabilitator's annual report to the Division. It shall be unlawful for rehabilitated rabies vector species to be released on State Wildlife Management Areas without the consent of the Division Director.
3 DE Reg. 289 (8/1/99)
11 DE Reg. 334 (09/01/07)
Authenticated PDF Version