Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries proposes permit requirement for wildlife rehabilitation

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) proposed a notice to modify the rehabilitation rules of some animals.

On Aug. 8, changes were made to LDWF’s Rehabilitation Program during the department’s commission meeting.

Under the proposal, anyone caring for most species of sick or injured wildlife — from squirrels to raccoons and bats — would need a LDWF Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit (WRP) from the department. A special permit would still be required for migratory birds and endangered species.

Any animals held under a WRP should not be displayed for promotional, educational, or commercial purposes, including social media, unless permitted by the LDWF. Photos of rehabilitation animals for educational or fundraising purposes are allowed, but are limited to restrictions, such as not referring to the animal with a “pet name,” not showing it in a common space for domestic animals, and captioning the photo with the disclaimer that the “animal is temporarily possessed under a wildlife rehabilitation permit issued by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.”

The proposal also clarifies how long each animal is allowed to be cared for before being released back into the wild. Migratory birds can be kept for 90 days, injured wildlife has 45 days, and orphaned animals have 120 days.

LDWF said the proposal is open for public comment until Oct. 1, and feedback can be sent to Bradley Breland at bbreland@wlf.la.gov or to the department at P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA.

Read the full notice of intent below.

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