WAC 232-12-027   Game farm license provisions.  It is unlawful to operate a game farm without a current, valid Washington state game farm license.

     (1) Game farms licensed prior to January 1, 1992, may continue to possess, propagate, sell and transfer wildlife they lawfully possessed on January 1, 1992, under their license issued by the department. Transfers of wildlife other than those species listed under subsection (2) are restricted to licensed game farms authorized by written license to possess said wildlife.

     (2) Game farms licensed on or after January 1, 1992, may purchase, possess, propagate, sell or transfer the following wildlife:

     (a) Game birds - pheasant, of the genus Phasianus; gray partridge of the genus Perdix; chukar of the genus Alectoris; quail of the genus Colinus, Callipepla, and Oreortyx; waterfowl of the family Anatidae.

     (3) Application for a game farm license shall be made on a form provided by the department.

     (4) The director or designee of the director may issue, with conditions or restrictions, a game farm license, if the applicant meets the requirements of subsection (1) or (2) above and complies with the following criteria:

     (a) The applicant is the owner or tenant of or has a possessory interest in the lands, waters, and riparian rights shown in the application.

     (b) The rearing and holding facilities are adequate and structurally sound to prevent the egress of game farm wildlife.

     (c) Operating conditions are clean and humane.

     (d) No hazards to state wildlife exist from the operation.

     (e) The license covers only the immediate premises and areas described on the application where wildlife will be held.

     (5) Holders of a game farm license must make annual reports no later than the 15th of January to the director on forms to be furnished by the department. Violation of this subsection is an infraction, punishable under RCW 77.15.160.

     (6) A licensed game farm must be inspected annually. All inspection costs will be paid by the licensee. The inspection must occur during the months of June, July, or August. An inspection form will be provided by the department and must be completed and signed by a licensed veterinarian or an agent authorized by the department. The inspection form must accompany the annual report and be submitted to the director no later than the 15th day of January.

     (7) During June, July, or August, a licensed game farm must conduct annual avian influenza disease testing of ten percent or a maximum of thirty representative game birds on-site. Testing required under this subsection and subsection (8) of this section must be performed by a qualified testing agent approved by WDFW. Testing is not required for the year in which all birds on-site were transferred from a game farm that has complied with the testing requirements of this rule within one year of the transfer. Copies of testing records must be kept for one year. The licensee is responsible for all testing costs. Any test results indicating the presence of avian influenza disease must be reported immediately to the Washington state department of agriculture state veterinarian.

     (8) If birds being held on the game farm exhibit symptoms of respiratory infection, diarrhea, central nervous system malfunction, or more than twenty-five percent flock mortality, licensed game farms must test for one or more of the following diseases as soon as possible upon the observation of symptoms: Mycoplasm gallisepticum and Mycoplasm synoviae, pullorum, salmonella, histomoniasis, and exotic Newcastle disease. The licensee is responsible for all testing costs.

     (9) A game farm license is not required for captive-bred mink, Mustela vison, and captive-bred silver fox, Vulpes fulva, lawfully acquired from a licensed breeder or fur farm and held for fur farming purposes.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.047. 07-01-049 (Order 06-300), § 232-12-027, filed 12/14/06, effective 1/14/07; 06-09-021 (Order 06-67), § 232-12-027, filed 4/11/06, effective 5/12/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.040, 77.12.020, 77.32.070, 77.32.530. 01-10-048 (Order 01-69), § 232-12-027, filed 4/26/01, effective 5/27/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.055, 77.12.040 and 77.12.570. 91-24-016 (Order 520), § 232-12-027, filed 11/22/91, effective 12/23/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.030, 77.12.040, 77.16.020 and 77.32.211. 85-20-127 (Order 258), § 232-12-027, filed 10/2/85. Statutory Authority: RCW 77.12.040. 82-19-026 (Order 192), § 232-12-027, filed 9/9/82; 81-22-002 (Order 174), § 232-12-027, filed 10/22/81; 81-12-029 (Order 165), § 232-12-027, filed 6/1/81. Formerly WAC 232-12-070.]