1. (a) Care of Rehabilitation Animals. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee, authorized person, and qualified handler, and any employee or volunteer supervised by such persons, shall comply with the following provisions:

   1. (1) Animal Care. All care shall be based on the age class and condition of the rehabilitation animal in a manner that is consistent with that species.
   2. (2) Food. Each rehabilitation animal shall be provided food in sufficient quantity and nutritive value to improve or maintain the health and welfare of the rehabilitation animal. Food shall be provided in a manner consistent with the species and its stage of rehabilitation. Food receptacles shall be kept clean and sanitary to prevent mold, contamination, and deterioration of food.
   3. (3) Water. Each rehabilitation animal shall be provided fresh drinking water that is available as often as necessary to improve or maintain the health and welfare of the animal, based on the stage of rehabilitation of that animal. Water receptacles shall be kept clean and sanitary to prevent mold and contamination.
   4. (4) Handling. A rehabilitation animal shall be handled only by a person using personal protective equipment in compliance with the requirements in the DFW 679 Manual, and in a manner to minimize stress or physical harm to the animal. Every reasonable effort shall be made to prevent the habituation or mal-imprinting of a rehabilitation animal. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee, authorized person or qualified handler shall not allow a member of the public to handle a rehabilitation animal.
   5. (5) Biosafety Protocol. A protocol to prevent and control parasites, diseases of concern, other communicable diseases, vectors, and pathogens shall be maintained that includes the following required information: a cleaning and disinfecting schedule for each area of the facility, enclosures, food and water receptacles, and enrichment items, use of proper personal protective equipment, and use of proper preexposure and postexposure prophylaxis. Organic waste material shall be removed from enclosures as often as necessary to improve or maintain the health and welfare of the animal and to avoid habituation or mal-imprinting of the animal.
   6. (6) Egg Incubation. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee may incubate native avian eggs for the purposes of rehabilitation, except for eggs of unknown species or origin. This section shall not preclude the need to obtain other valid permits, such as a federal migratory bird or scientific collecting permit.
   7. (7) Public Display. A rehabilitation animal shall only be depicted in a public facing photograph or video under conditions that are consistent with the natural life history and behaviors of that species or showing the animal receiving appropriate medical treatment and only publicly referenced by intake number, common species or scientific name. A rehabilitation animal temporarily possessed as a result of a law enforcement action or suspected violation of any law shall not be publicly referenced for any purpose.

   8. (8) Notification Requirement for Diseases of Concern. Except as provided below, a permitee, their designee, or sub-permittee, or qualified handler shall notify the appropriate public agency, in writing or by telephone, within 5 calendar days of suspecting any rehabilitation animal of having a disease of concern listed in the DFW 679 Manual, and shall include the following information: common or scientific name, sex if known, age class, suspected disease of concern, date and location found, and any known human or domestic animal exposure.

      1. (A) Reporting to the Department. A permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, qualified handler, or authorized person, shall notify the department in writing via email at [email protected], within 24 hours of suspecting any rehabilitation animal or carcass of having a disease of concern for which the department is the appropriate public agency to notify. The department shall provide instructions in writing via email to the reporting party, within 7 calendar days of receiving such a notification. The department shall instruct a reporting party to euthanize or transfer the rehabilitation animal, or dispose of or transfer the carcass, to the department or other location based on the necessity to protect native wildlife, human health and safety, or agricultural interests; such a rehabilitation animal or carcass shall be retained by the reporting party until instructed by the department, or up to 15 calendar days after providing such notification.
      2. (B) Rabies. A permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, qualified handler, or authorized person, shall confine in isolation for 30 calendar days, or euthanize pursuant to subsection 2606(c) of Title 17, any rehabilitation animal showing clinical signs or symptoms consistent with rabies or that has been in physical contact with a known rabid animal. Any rehabilitation animal that has bitten a human and shows clinical signs or symptoms consistent with rabies or has been in physical contact with a known rabid animal, shall be euthanized and tested for rabies with the local public health department.

      3. (C) Chronic Wasting Disease. A permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, qualified handler, or authorized person, shall confine in isolation for 10 calendar days from its date of intake an ungulate specialty rehabilitation animal in an indoor enclosure, notwithstanding an ungulate specialty rehabilitation animal that is euthanized and tested for chronic wasting disease with the department.

         1. 1. A permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, or qualified person shall euthanize an ungulate specialty rehabilitation animal upon intake if it shows clinical signs or symptoms consistent with a disease of concern, or if the location found and county of origin is not known, and notify the department pursuant to subsection 679.5(a)(8)(A) herein.
         2. 2. A permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, or qualified person shall not transfer to any person, or release to the wild, an ungulate specialty rehabilitation animal outside of its county of origin.
         3. 3. A permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, or qualified person shall only temporarily possess for the purpose of rehabilitation an ungulate specialty rehabilitation animal between March 1 and October 31 of each calendar year; such persons shall either release to the wild within its county of origin at the location found a healthy ungulate specialty rehabilitation animal, or euthanize an ungulate specialty rehabilitation animal, no later than October 31 of that calendar year.
         4. 4. A permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, or qualified person may accept for intake an ungulate specialty rehabilitation animal at any time to euthanize and notify the department, pursuant to subsection 679.5(a)(8)(A) herein, to test for chronic wasting disease.
   9. (9) Notification Requirement for Violations Related to Animals. Such a person shall report to the department by telephone at (888) 334-2258, or via text to 847411 (tip411) by texting “CALTIP”, within 48 hours of becoming aware of a rehabilitation animal suspected to have been intentionally harmed in violation of Penal Code Section 597, or a violation of Fish and Game Code. A reporting party may report a suspected violation of any law to a local law enforcement agency, in addition to reporting to the department.
   10. (10) Import and Export of Rehabilitation Animals. No permittee, their sub-permittee, designee, authorized person, qualified handler, or any other person shall export to another state, or import from another state, a rehabilitation animal, without prior written notification to the department and written approval from the applicable state agency of the exporting/importing state. A permittee, their sub-permittee, designee, authorized person, or qualified handler may accept a wild animal that was imported by a person and is in need of rehabilitation. This section does not supersede other required state or federal permits.

2. (b) Treatment of Wildlife in Possession. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee, authorized person, and qualified handler shall comply with the following requirements for the treatment of rehabilitation animals:

   1. (1) Medical Care. A person shall not perform any procedure on a rehabilitation animal that is likely to fail to improve or maintain the welfare of the animal; permanently impair the ability of the animal to survive on its own in the wild; or permanently physically alter the animal and is not medically necessary, such as spaying or neutering, without written prior approval from the department.
   2. (2) Standing Order. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee, authorized person, or qualified handler, and any employee or volunteer supervised by such a person, shall adhere to the written standing protocol, provided by a California licensed veterinarian acting within the scope of their professional licensure, for routine medical care to treat a taxonomic group or species of rehabilitation animal based on the animal condition, age class, and life history of a specific rehabilitation animal.
   3. (3) Medications. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee, authorized person, or qualified handler, and any employee or volunteer supervised by such a person, shall administer, store, track, and dispose of all medications, including controlled drugs, in accordance with state and federal laws. Controlled drugs shall be kept in a safe and locked place that is only accessible to such person or staff or volunteer supervised by such person.

   4. (4) Raptor Rehabilitation. A permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, authorized person, or qualified handler may temporarily transfer a rehabilitation raptor to a California general falconer or master falconer licensed pursuant to subsection 670(e)(6)(C) and approved by the department as a sub-permittee pursuant to subsection 679.3(b) and (c), for the purpose of rehabilitation under the requirements listed pursuant to these regulations. A rehabilitation raptor shall not be listed under a falconry license and shall remain solely under a permit issued pursuant to Section 679.3. A California general or master falconer shall release to the wild a rehabilitation raptor pursuant to subsection 670(h)(3) or return a rehabilitation raptor to the permittee or their designee no longer than 180 calendar days from the date of initial intake by the permittee or their designee.

      1. (A) A permittee or their designee shall provide a licensed general or master falconer with written authorization, as a required record, for the temporary transfer of a rehabilitation raptor that shall include the following information:

         1. 1. Transfer Information. Date of temporary transfer; permittee full name, telephone number, email address, physical address, and mailing address, if different; licensee full name, telephone number, email address, physical address, and mailing address, if different; physical address where the rehabilitation raptor will be temporarily transferred.
         2. 2. Animal Information. Common or species name; age class; sex, if known; date of initial intake; animal intake number or permanent identifier, if applicable; medical condition(s) of the animal, if applicable; and estimated total length of rehabilitation, for the purposes of release to the wild, not to exceed 180 calendar days from the date of initial intake, notwithstanding approval by the department for long-term possession pursuant to subsection 679.5(a)(7).
   5. (5) Surrogate Animal. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee may use a wild animal possessed by a permittee, their sub-permittee, or designee to provide parental care to a conspecific neonate or juvenile rehabilitation animal for the purpose of the animal's release to the wild. A surrogate animal shall be used for a conspecific neonate or juvenile rehabilitation animal for a period not to exceed 90 calendar days in a calendar year. An animal shall not be used as a surrogate animal in a manner that harms the welfare of that animal.

   6. (6) Patient Record. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee, authorized person, or qualified handler shall maintain a record of each rehabilitation animal that shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

      1. (A) Intake History. Intake documentation that shall include the following information: date and time of intake; full name and telephone number of the person who transferred the animal if known; date and location where animal was found, if known; and dates of transfer, if applicable.
      2. (B) Animal Information. Animal information documentation shall include the common species name or scientific name; age class and sex, if known; animal identification number; temporary bands, tags, or marks, or permanent identifier, if applicable; physical examination findings, medical condition, and treatment plan; type and dates of treatment; full name or initials of persons providing such treatment; and dates of transfer, if applicable.
      3. (C) Patient Outcome. The outcome of each rehabilitation animal shall be documented in writing and listed as: (R) release to the wild, (T) transferred to another facility, (P) pending and remains in care, (E) euthanized, (D) died in care, (DOA) dead on arrival, or (RU) reunited with parent.

   7. (7) Long-Term Possession. Except as provided below, a permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, qualified handler, or authorized person, shall not possess a rehabilitation animal for longer than 180 calendar days from the date of initial intake. a permittee, their designee, sub-permittee, qualified handler, or authorized person, may submit a request to the department in writing via email at [email protected] for approval to possess a rehabilitation animal for longer than 180 calendar days to improve and maintain the welfare of the animal. The department shall require such a person to provide the patient record, a written plan for care of the animal, and the estimated date of release to the wild.

      1. (A) Approval of a Request. The department shall approve a request to temporarily possess a rehabilitation animal for longer than 180 calendar days if the department determines that such approval is necessary to improve or maintain the welfare of the animal. The approval shall authorize temporary possession of the animal until the estimated date of release to the wild, unless the department determines that such duration should be shortened or extended to protect native wildlife, animal welfare, human health and safety, or agriculture interests. The department shall notify the requestor, in writing via email, of the approval or denial to temporarily possess a rehabilitation animal for longer than 180 calendar days within 15 calendar days of receipt of the request.
      2. (B) Denial of a Request. The department shall deny a request to temporarily possess a rehabilitation animal for longer than 180 calendar days if the department determines that such approval will harm the welfare of the animal. That animal shall be seized in place, transferred, humanely euthanized, or released to the wild pursuant to Section 679.8(c).

3. (c) Animals not Released to the Wild. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee shall either euthanize or request to the department placement at a permitted facility a rehabilitation animal that cannot be released to the wild pursuant to Section 679.6.

   1. (1) Euthanasia. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee shall euthanize a rehabilitation animal using the euthanasia methods listed in the DFW 679 Manual.

      1. (A) A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee shall require a person performing euthanasia of any rehabilitation animal to receive the following minimum hours of euthanasia training:

         1. 1. 2-hours training on euthanasia methods that do not require the use of a controlled drug, provided by a permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee, or an individual approved by such persons; or
         2. 2. 4-hours training on euthanasia methods that require the use of a controlled drug excluding sodium pentobarbital, provided by a licensed veterinarian, registered veterinary technician, or an individual certified by the California Animal Welfare Association or similar organization; or
         3. 3. 8-hours training on euthanasia methods that require administering of sodium pentobarbital without the presence of a licensed veterinarian, provided by a licensed veterinarian, registered veterinary technician, or an individual certified by the California Animal Welfare Association.

   2. (2) Permanent Placement. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee may request to the department, in writing via email at [email protected], to approve permanent placement of a rehabilitation animal that is considered by the requestor to be unsuitable for release to the wild.

      1. (A) Request for Placement. A requestor shall submit to the department the following information, in a form provided by the department:

         1. 1. Requesting Party. Full name, GO ID number, physical address, mailing address if different, telephone number, email address, and facility name if applicable.
         2. 2. Animal Identification. Intake date; animal intake number; common species or scientific name; age/age class; sex; weight; and microchip, tag, or other identifier if applicable.
         3. 3. Animal Examination. Date of last examination that shall be performed no later than 30 calendar days from the date of request; full name, telephone number, email address, title, veterinarian or registered veterinary technician license number if applicable, and signature of person performing examination.
         4. 4. Animal Condition. List and provide a brief description of conditions that may prevent the animal from surviving in the wild: permanent visual impairment; amputated limb, foot, or wing; permanent damage to skin, scale, scute, fur, or feathers; permanent inability to display the physical ability needed to survive in the wild and brief description; permanent inability to display the natural life history behaviors of its species and brief description; permanent spinal injury, paralysis, or paresis.
         5. 5. Animal Welfare. List of requirements needed to maintain the welfare of the animal: temporary or long-term medication, temporary or long-term medical treatment, enclosure modification, special diet, modified feeding, must be housed with other animals, must be housed alone.
         6. 6. Suggested Placement Option. A requestor may provide one or more suggested placement options for consideration by the department at its sole discretion.
      2. (B) Department Consideration of Request. The department shall review a written request for placement of a rehabilitation animal and respond to the requestor in writing via the email address provided by the requestor within 15 calendar days of receiving all required information from a permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee. The request shall demonstrate that the conditions required to protect the welfare of the animal, native wildlife, human health, and human safety are met. The department shall require an additional examination by a California licensed veterinarian, or other person identified by the department, if the department determines that an examination is necessary to fully assess the condition of the animal.

      3. (C) Department Approval or Denial of Request.

         1. 1. The department shall approve placement of a rehabilitation animal if the department determines that the requirements of subsection (c)(2)(A) have been met and the department has identified a suitable facility for placement.
         2. 2. The department shall deny placement of a rehabilitation animal if the department determines that the requirements of subsection (c)(2)(B) have not been met and the department determines that release to the wild, transfer to another facility, or euthanasia of the rehabilitation animal is most appropriate.
4. (d) Use of Rehabilitation Animals for Scientific or Educational Purposes. A permittee, their designee, or sub-permittee, authorized person, qualified handler, and any employee or volunteer supervised by such persons, shall not transfer, take, or possess the carcass or parts thereof of any rehabilitation animal for scientific, educational, and/or propagation purposes except as authorized by the department pursuant to Section 251.4 (mountain lion carcass or parts thereof), Section 650, or other sections of the Fish and Game Code or regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
5. (e) Violations. A violation of any provision of Chapter 3 of the DFW 679 Manual shall be considered a violation of this section.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 1050, 2081, 2120, 2121, 2122, 2150.4, 2157, 3005.5, 3800 and 4150, Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections 1008, 1801, 2000, 2120, 2126, 2150.4, 2118, 2186, 2190, 3005, 3861, 3960.4 and 4801.5, Fish and Game Code; Section 597, Penal Code; and Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 14, 16, 17, 21.29, 21.30, 21.31, 22 and 23.

History

1. New section filed 8-13-2025; operative 8-13-2025 pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 265 (Register 2025, No. 33).