1. 1. Except as permitted under sections 578.600 to 578.624, no person shall:

   1. (1) Own or possess a large carnivore;
   2. (2) Breed a large carnivore;
   3. (3) Transfer ownership or possession of or receive a transfer of ownership or possession of a large carnivore, with or without remuneration; or
   4. (4) Transport a large carnivore.

2. 2. The division shall implement and enforce the provisions of sections 578.600 to 578.624 for the following purposes:

   1. (1) The standardization of ownership, transport, and breeding of large carnivores;
   2. (2) Identification and location of large carnivores;
   3. (3) Protection of members of the public from large carnivores; and
   4. (4) Practice best husbandry and health care protocols to ensure the humane and safe treatment of large carnivores on behalf of their physical well-being.

3. 3. Any person possessing, breeding, or transporting a large carnivore on or after January 1, 2012, shall apply for and obtain a permit from the division. Any person possessing, breeding, or transporting a large carnivore as of January 1, 2012, shall apply for a permit from the division within sixty days of such date. One permit shall be required for each large carnivore. Any permit so issued by the division shall set forth all of the following:

   1. (1) The name and address of the permit holder and the address where each large carnivore will be kept, if different from that of the permit holder;
   2. (2) The identification number of each large carnivore required under section 578.604 for which a permit is sought;
   3. (3) The name and address of the veterinarian who is expected to provide veterinary care to the large carnivore and, if different, the name and address of the veterinarian who has inserted the subcutaneous microchip required under section 578.604. The selected veterinarian shall install the microchip, collect an appropriate sample for DNA registration, provide a written summary of the physical examination, and provide a signed health certificate as needed for transport; and
   4. (4) Any other reasonable information as determined by the department, including the amount of the permit fee, not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars, as set by the division to offset the actual and necessary costs incurred to enforce the provisions of sections 578.600 to 578.624 and the amount of the annual renewal fee, not to exceed five hundred dollars, for such permits.
4. 4. No permit shall be issued to any person under the age of twenty-one years of age or who has been found guilty of, or pled guilty to, a violation of any state or local law prohibiting neglect or mistreatment of any animal or, within the previous ten years, any felony.

(L. 2010 S.B. 795)