It is unlawful for any person to possess, transport, import, export, buy, sell, barter, propagate or transfer any wildlife, whether indigenous to this state or not, except as provided by this part and rules and regulations promulgated by the Tennessee fish and wildlife commission pursuant to this part. No person shall possess Class I or […]
As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires: “Agency” means the Tennessee wildlife resources agency; “Cage” means the primary enclosure in which an animal is held; “Circus” means a public entertainment consisting typically of a variety of performances by acrobats, clowns, and trained animals, but does not include wrestling bears or any type […]
Live wildlife, kept and maintained for any purpose, shall be classified in the following five (5) classes: Class I — This class includes all species inherently dangerous to humans. These species may only be possessed by zoos, circuses and commercial propagators, except as otherwise provided in this part. The commission, in conjunction with the commissioner […]
The agency shall issue permits for possessing live wildlife as defined in this part. The commission shall adopt reasonable rules for issuing permits to possess live wildlife and establishing the conditions of possessing wildlife. The conditions shall be directed toward assuring the health, welfare, and safety of animals, the public and, where necessary, the security […]
Wildlife housed in dangerously unsafe conditions constituting a threat to human safety shall, at the direction of agency personnel, be placed in agency approved facilities at the owner’s expense. Any condition that results in wildlife escaping from its enclosure, cage, leash or other constraint shall be considered maintaining wildlife in an unsafe manner and shall […]
Any person who keeps Class I wildlife is liable for any costs incurred by any person, city, county or state agency resulting from the escape from captivity of the animal or animals. Neither the state of Tennessee nor any agency, employee or agent of the state of Tennessee is liable for any animal that expires, […]
Prior to the transfer of any Class I wildlife to a new owner, the prospective owner must provide the seller with proper documentation of an approved holding facility for that species. Proper documentation consists of a copy of a current permit for that species or a letter from the Tennessee wildlife resources agency stating that […]
Owners of unpermitted wildlife who do not qualify for a permit to possess such wildlife shall dispose of such wildlife to an approved recipient within thirty (30) days of notification by the agency. Each day of possession of unpermitted wildlife after such thirty-day period constitutes a separate violation.
Any person possessing live wildlife in Class I or Class II shall, during normal business hours and at all reasonable times, and without the necessity of a search warrant, allow the executive director or any officer or employee of the agency to inspect all animals, facilities and records relating to such animals for the purpose […]
Before any person may engage in the business of propagating or otherwise obtaining Class I or Class II wildlife for sale, barter or trade, whether indigenous to this state or not, such person must obtain and possess a permit for each propagating location. Any nonresident who enters the state for the purpose of selling Class […]
All persons wishing to possess Classes I and II live wildlife obtained outside this state shall have in their possession the importation permit required by this part. The permit and all bills of lading and shipping papers relating to any wildlife that such person may have in such person’s possession shall be open and available […]
It is unlawful to release any class of wildlife in Tennessee except in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the commission.
It is unlawful for any person to operate a private wildlife preserve for the purpose of propagating or hunting, or both, any class of wildlife reared in captivity unless that person obtains the appropriate permit and operates such private wildlife preserve in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the commission. It is lawful […]
Before any person may take, transport or possess raptors for the purpose of falconry, such person shall first obtain a falconry permit in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the commission. This permit is supplemental to all other permits and licenses required for hunting as provided in this title, except that a holder […]
Any officer of the agency, upon finding a violation of this part, of the terms of the permit or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this part, may, as appropriate: Exercise such officer’s arrest authority or, in lieu of exercising the arrest authority, issue a finding of a violation, along with a warning to remedy […]
Permittees shall immediately notify the agency or local law enforcement officials of any escape of Class I wildlife. Any personal injury inflicted by any species of captive wildlife requiring medical treatment shall be reported to the agency within forty-eight (48) hours of the injury, and a complete report provided regarding the nature and circumstances of […]
The cost of administration of this part as it relates to wildlife not indigenous to this state shall be borne by the general fund and revenues collected pursuant to this part.
Any person who obtains a Class I carnivore on or after July 1, 2015, shall, within six (6) months of obtaining the animal, have a microchip permanently implanted in the animal. The microchip shall have an identification number that is unique to the microchip. In addition, the microchip shall contain a passive integrated transponder, which […]
