AB 703

This bill makes changes to the laws relating to the possession of certain wild

animals.

Under current law, known as the captive wildlife law, the Department of

Natural Resources (DNR) regulates the possession of, and other activities related to,

certain wild animals. Generally under current law, a person may not possess a wild

animal that is native to Wisconsin without a license from DNR. There are exceptions

to this prohibition for some animals, including chipmunks, mice, pigeons, and voles.

Certain entities may possess wild animals without a license from DNR, including

veterinarians, zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, municipal

zoos, and circuses.

Generally, the captive wildlife law does not require a person to have a license

from DNR to possess a wild animal that is not native to Wisconsin, such as a lion,

unless the animal is endangered or threatened and native to the United States or

Canada or is a harmful wild animal. Under the statutes, cougars, wild and feral

swine, and bears, including nonnative bears, are harmful wild animals. The law

authorizes DNR to designate other wild animals that satisfy specified criteria as

harmful wild animals. DNR has designated mute swans and wolf-dog hybrids as

harmful wild animals. Generally, a person may not possess, exhibit, propagate, sell,

or purchase a harmful wild animal without specific authorization in a license issued

by DNR.

The captive wildlife law also authorizes a city, village, town, or county to enact

an ordinance that prohibits the possession of wild animals.

This bill generally prohibits the possession, propagation, and sale of dangerous

exotic animals. Under the bill, dangerous exotic animals are nonnative big cats,

including lions and tigers; nonnative bears, including brown bears and polar bears;

apes, including gorillas, chimpanzees, and gibbons; and crocodilians, including

alligators, crocodiles, and caimans. Certain entities are exempt from the

prohibitions, including veterinarians, accredited zoos, municipal zoos, circuses,

federally licensed research facilities, and wildlife sanctuaries. The bill authorizes

a person who does not qualify for an exemption but who owns a dangerous exotic

animal when the bill takes effect to continue to possess the animal if the person

registers the animal with the municipality in which the person keeps the animal.

The bill prohibits a person from allowing a member of the public to come into

direct contact with a dangerous exotic animal and requires the owner of a dangerous

exotic animal to inform local law enforcement if the animal escapes. The bill also

authorizes a city, village, town, or county to enact an ordinance relating to dangerous

exotic animals if the ordinance is at least as strict as the provisions in the bill relating

to dangerous exotic animals.

In addition, the bill eliminates DNR's authority, under the captive wildlife law,

to regulate dangerous exotic animals, including nonnative bears, as harmful wild