Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 15 - DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES › Chapter 20 - DEFINITIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS: IN GENERAL › Section 4VAC15-20-50 - Definitions; "wild animal," "native animal," "naturalized animal," "nonnative (exotic) animal," and "domestic animal"

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. In accordance
				with § 29.1-100 of the Code of Virginia, the following terms shall have
				the meanings ascribed to them by this section when used in regulations of the
				board:
"Native animal" means those species and subspecies of animals
				  naturally occurring in Virginia, as included in the department's 2022 "List of
				  Native and Naturalized Fauna of Virginia," with copies available in the
				  headquarters and regional offices of the department.
"Naturalized animal" means those species and subspecies of
				  animals not originally native to Virginia that have established wild,
				  self-sustaining populations, as included in the department's 2022 "List of
				  Native and Naturalized Fauna of Virginia," with copies available in the
				  headquarters and regional offices of the department.
"Nonnative (exotic) animal" means those species and
				  subspecies of animals not naturally occurring in Virginia, excluding domestic
				  and naturalized species.
The following animals are defined as domestic animals:
Domestic dog (Canis familiaris), including wolf
				  hybrids.
Domestic cat (Felis catus), including hybrids with wild
				  felines.
Domestic horse (Equus caballus), including hybrids with Equus
				  asinus.
Domestic ass, burro, and donkey (Equus asinus).
Domestic cattle (Bos taurus and Bos indicus).
Domestic sheep (Ovis aries) including hybrids with wild
				  sheep.
Domestic goat (Capra hircus).
Domestic swine (Sus scrofa), including pot-bellied pig and
				  excluding any swine that are wild or for which no claim of ownership can be
				  made.
Llama (Lama glama).
Alpaca (Lama pacos).
Camels (Camelus bactrianus and Camelus dromedarius).
Domesticated races of hamsters (Mesocricetus spp.).
Domesticated races of mink (Mustela vison) where adults are
				  heavier than 1.15 kilograms or their coat color can be distinguished from wild
				  mink.
Domesticated races of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).
Domesticated races of gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus).
Domesticated races of chinchillas (Chinchilla
				  laniger).
Domesticated races of rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus
				  rattus).
Domesticated races of mice (Mus musculus).
Domesticated breeds of European rabbit (Oryctolagus
				  cuniculus) recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc. and any
				  lineage resulting from crossbreeding recognized breeds. A list of recognized
				  rabbit breeds is available on the department's website.
Domesticated races of chickens (Gallus).
Domesticated races of turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo).
Domesticated races of ducks and geese distinguishable
				  morphologically from wild birds.
Feral pigeons (Columba domestica and Columba livia) and
				  domesticated races of pigeons.
Domesticated races of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).
Domesticated races of peafowl (Pavo cristatus).
"Wild animal" means any member of the animal kingdom, except
				  domestic animals, including without limitation any native, naturalized, or
				  nonnative (exotic) mammal, fish, bird, amphibian, reptile, mollusk, crustacean,
				  arthropod, or other invertebrate, and includes any hybrid of them, except as
				  otherwise specified in regulations of the board, or part, product, egg, or
				  offspring of them, or the dead body or parts of them.
B. Exception for red foxes and European
				rabbits. Domesticated red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) having coat colors
				distinguishable from wild red foxes and wild European rabbits possessed in
				captivity on July 1, 2017, may be maintained in captivity until the animal
				dies, but the animal may not be bred or sold without a permit from the
				department. Persons possessing domesticated red foxes or European rabbits
				without a permit from the department must declare such possession in writing to
				the department by January 1, 2018. This written declaration must include the
				number of individual animals in possession and date acquired, sex, estimated
				age, coloration, and a photograph of each fox or European rabbit. This written
				declaration shall (i) serve as a permit for possession only, (ii) is not
				transferable, and (iii) must be renewed every five years.
Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and
					 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.