HB 1258

ENROLLED
 2026 Regular Session  ACT No. 730
 HOUSE BILL NO. 1258        (Substitute for House Bill No. 662 by Representative Geymann)
 BY REPRESENTATIVES GEYMANN AND VENTRELLA
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 56:126.1, relative to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; to provide for
3the disposition of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife species seized as a result of
4unlawful possession; to establish a preference for release, rehabilitation, and
5placement with licensed facilities; to provide for euthanasia only when no feasible
6alternatives exist and under specified circumstances; and to provide for related
7matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9Section 1. R.S. 56:126.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10§126.1. Disposition of wildlife seized for unlawful possession; euthanasia
11A. This Section shall be applicable to any wildlife held in violation of R.S.
1256:126 that is seized by the department for unlawful possession. For purposes of this
13Section, wildlife seized by the department shall be referred to as "contraband
14wildlife".
15B. Contraband wildlife shall be evaluated by department field staff or by a
16veterinarian to determine the appropriate disposition.
17C. The department shall dispose of contraband wildlife in accordance with
18the following order of preference:
19(1)   If the contraband wildlife is clinically healthy, past the age of
20independence, and release of the species into the wild is not prohibited by law or
21regulation, the department shall release the wildlife into a suitable habitat.
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 HB NO. 1258  ENROLLED
1(2) If the contraband wildlife is sick, injured, or otherwise not immediately
2releasable, but is capable of being rehabilitated, the department shall place the
3wildlife with a wildlife rehabilitator permitted by the department who is authorized
4to possess the species and who is willing to accept the wildlife. Wildlife placed with
5a rehabilitator shall remain in the rehabilitator's possession until it can be released
6to the wild or until the rehabilitator, in consultation with the department, determines
7that further rehabilitation is not feasible. A rehabilitator shall notify the department
8prior to euthanizing any wildlife placed in his care pursuant to this Paragraph.
9(3) If the contraband wildlife is medically nonreleasable or is determined to
10be nonreleasable due to habituation to life in captivity or rehabilitation would pose
11a risk to public health or be deemed inappropriate due to an animal's temperament
12and risk of injury to the animal or humans, the department shall make every
13reasonable effort to place the wildlife with a zoo, aquarium, sanctuary, educational
14institution as appropriate, or other facility that is licensed or otherwise authorized to
15possess the species under state or federal law.
16(4) Euthanization of contraband wildlife shall only be performed as a last
17resort. The department may euthanize contraband wildlife only if one or more of the
18following applies:
19(a) None of the preferred options provided in this Subsection is viable or
20available for the wildlife.
21(b) The wildlife exhibits clinical signs of disease.
22(c) The wildlife has sustained a life-threatening injury.
23(d) Release or rehabilitation of the species is prohibited by law or regulation
24and no licensed facility described in Paragraph (C)(3) of this Section is willing,
25authorized, or appropriate to accept the wildlife.
26(e) The state wildlife veterinarian, or Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
27departmental veterinarian has determined that euthanasia is in the best interest of the
28animal.
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HB NO. 1258  ENROLLED
1D. Any euthanasia performed pursuant to this Section shall be conducted in
2accordance with the most current edition of the American Veterinary Medical
3Association: Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals.
  SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
  GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.