Florida Administrative Code › 68 - FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION › 68 - Departmental › Chapter 68-5 - RULES RELATING TO NON-NATIVE SPECIES › Section 68-5.008 - Amnesty for Persons Relinquishing Non-Native Pets

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
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 through the Commission's
				  Exotic Pet Amnesty Program as an alternative to releasing them into Florida's
				  environment. In furtherance of this policy, the Commission will sponsor amnesty
				  events and facilitate amnesty outside of sponsored events for such
				  purpose.
(1) Persons adopting
				nonnative species through the Commission's Exotic Pet Amnesty Program may
				accept nonnative 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
				nonnative fish or wildlife through the Commission's Exotic Pet Amnesty Program
				pursuant to this rule is hereby deemed not to be in violation of the permit
				requirement of subsection
				68A-6.008(2),
				F.A.C.
(3) All adoptions occurring
				pursuant to this rule shall be reported to and approved by the Commission's
				Exotic Pet Amnesty Program before the surrendered animals may be accepted by
				the adopter. Any facility accepting wildlife pursuant to this rule must be an
				approved adopter with the Program and possess any required captive wildlife
				license(s), pursuant to Chapter 68A-6, F.A.C., and any other applicable
				licenses or permits.
(4)
				Relinquishing reptiles of concern, or Prohibited 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-6.017(1),
				F.A.C., through the Commission's Exotic Pet Amnesty Program from persons who
				have not obtained a permit from the Commission for possession of such reptiles
				without violating the provisions of subsection
				68A-6.008(2),
				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 Prohibited
				snakes and lizards may accept Prohibited snakes and lizards listed in
				subsection 68-5.006(4),
				F.A.C., surrendered through the Commission's Exotic Pet Amnesty Program 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-6.008(2),
				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 Prohibited 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 Habitat and Species Conservation,
				Wildlife Impact Management Section, 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 Prohibited 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-6.008(2),
				F.A.C.
(e) Persons accepting
				unpermitted reptiles of concern, or Prohibited snakes or lizards, under this
				subsection must otherwise comply with all permit conditions and Commission
				rules, specifically including provisions in Rules
				68A-6.017,
				68A-6.0172,
				68A-6.0173, and
				68A-6.007,
				F.A.C.