ARTICLE 3. Regulation and Enforcement [2185. - 2195.]

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC 3.

in effect

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2185. Section 2185.

(a) Any person who transports, receives, or imports into the state, or transports within the state, any live wild animal enumerated in or designated pursuant to Section 2118, shall hold that animal in confinement for inspection and immediately notify the nearest enforcing officer of the animal’s arrival. If there is found in any shipment any species not specified in the permit issued under this chapter, or more than the number of any species specified, those animals shall be refused admittance as provided in Section 2189. (b) Notwithstanding Section 2117, for the purposes of this section, “enforcing officer” means the enforcement personnel of the department, the state plant quarantine officers, and county agricultural commissioners.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2186. Section 2186.

(a) If during inspection upon arrival any wild animal is found to be diseased, or there is reason to suspect the presence of disease, or there is reason to suspect the presence of disease that is or may be detrimental to agriculture, to native wildlife, or to the public health or safety, the diseased animal, and if necessary, the entire shipment shall be destroyed by, or under the supervision of, the enforcing officer, unless no detriment can be caused by its detention in quarantine for a time and under conditions satisfactory to the enforcing officer for disinfection, treatment, or diagnosis, or no detriment can be caused by its return to its point of origin at the option and expense of the owner or possessor. (b) Notwithstanding Section 2117, for the purposes of this section, “enforcing officer” means the enforcement personnel of the department, the state plant quarantine officers, and county agricultural commissioners.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2187. Section 2187.

(a) Whenever any wild animal is brought into this state under permit, as provided in this chapter, the enforcing officers may, from time to time, examine the conditions under which that species is kept, and report to the department any suspicion or knowledge of any disease or violations of the conditions of the permit or of the regulations promulgated under this chapter. The enforcing officer may order the transfer of the animal to new owners or the correction of the conditions under which the species is being kept if not in conformance with the terms of the permit, at the expense of the owner or possessor. If neither transfer or improvement of conditions is accomplished, the officer may order destruction of the animal. (b) Notwithstanding Section 2117, for the purposes of this section, “enforcing officer” means the enforcement personnel of the department, the state plant quarantine officers, and county agricultural commissioners.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2189. Section 2189.

(a) As used in this section “nonnative wild animal” means any nonnative animal species, or hybrid thereof, that is not normally domesticated pursuant to this code or regulations adopted pursuant thereto and that is not designated as a furbearing, game, nongame, threatened, or endangered animal. (b) No person shall import into this state any live nonnative wild animal except pursuant to this chapter or regulations adopted pursuant thereto. (c) Any live nonnative wild animal that is possessed or transported within this state in violation of this chapter or regulations adopted pursuant thereto shall be disposed of in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to Section 2122, at the expense of the owner or possessor. The owner or possessor shall pay the costs associated with the seizure, care, holding, transfer, and destruction of the animal. (d) Any live, nonnative wild animal found at large within this state shall be either summarily destroyed or, if captured, shall be confined for not less than 72 hours following notification of the local humane society. Any local, state, or federal governmental agency that has public safety responsibilities is authorized to implement this subdivision. (e) If, during the 72-hour holding period, any person claims ownership of the animal, that person shall only be allowed to dispose of the animal pursuant to subdivision (c). (f) After the 72-hour holding period, if the animal is unclaimed, it shall be disposed of in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to Section 2122 unless the animal is listed as a threatened or endangered species by either state or federal regulation. Notwithstanding subdivision (c), if the animal is listed as a threatened or endangered species in either regulation, the department shall be notified of the animal’s location and the department shall be responsible for proper disposition.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2190. Section 2190.

It is unlawful for any person who keeps in confinement, with or without a permit, any wild animal of a species enumerated in or designated pursuant to Section 2118, to liberate, ship, or transport the animal except in accordance with the conditions of a permit first obtained from the department.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2192. Section 2192.

Notwithstanding Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18900) of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code, Section 11356 of the Government Code, or any other provision of law, regulations of the commission relating to the construction, fixtures, and other minimum caging standards adopted by the commission for the confinement of live wild animals pursuant to this chapter are not building standards subject to the approval of the State Building Standards Commission.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2193. Section 2193.

(a) Every person who holds a permit issued pursuant to Section 2150 shall immediately report by telephone the intentional or unintentional escape or release of the wild animal, to the department and the nearest enforcing officer of the city or county in which the wild animal was released or escaped. The permitholder shall be liable for all expenses associated with efforts to recapture the wild animal. For the purposes of this subdivision, the exhibition of a wild animal on a movie set, film set, television set, still photography set, or any other professional activity allowable under a permit issued pursuant to Section 2150, does not constitute an intentional or unintentional escape or release of the wild animal unless the person exhibiting the wild animal has lost control of the wild animal. (b) The commission shall promulgate regulations establishing the criteria for permitholders to notify the department prior to taking possession of or transferring an animal and upon the death of an animal. (c) These regulations shall be developed and adopted by the commission on or before January 1, 2007.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2195. Section 2195.

When a wild animal enumerated in, or designated pursuant to, Section 671 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations is properly confiscated by the department, the new custodian with whom the animal is placed by the department may bring a civil action to recover the reasonable costs incurred by the custodian for any necessary relocation of the animal to a new facility, any actual and necessary costs to construct new caging to house the animal, and any actual and necessary costs to return the animal to a healthy state, to the extent that the department or new custodian has not already collected the costs pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 2125. The prior owner or possessor from whom the animal was confiscated shall be liable for these costs only if the conditions that led to the animal’s confiscation were the result of acts or omissions of the prior owner or possessor.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026