Citizens Transporting Trapped Opossums to Animal Care Services Okay Says Texas Parks and Wildlife Corpus Christi Citizens who transport trapped opossums to Animal Care Services are not in violation of the regulation prohibiting the transport and release of nuisance fur bearing animals, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Assistant Commander Kevin Davis. According to Davis, “Since the City of Corpus Christi has obtained necessary authorization from the department to allow a mechanism for release of nuisance furbearers to the wild, it is the position of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division that individuals transporting nuisance opossums to the city for disposal as allowed under the city’s letter of authorization is permissible.” Animal Care Services will still be responsible for the reporting guidelines required under Texas Administrative Code Chapter 65. The message from Assistant Commander Davis, Wildlife Law Administrator for TXPWD, came in response to a concern raised by a Corpus Christi resident during public comment at last week’s city council meeting. The resident informed the city council that citizens who transport trapped opossums to the Animal Care Services facility were in violation of this regulation. Animal Care Services had requested and received a waiver from Texas Parks and Wildlife in March, allowing staff to release trapped opossums back into the wild on city owned property. According to Davis, as long as citizens are abiding by the terms set out in the city’s program and transport the opossums directly to the city facility, they are covered under the letter of authorization issued by Texas Parks and Wildlife. The waiver only applies to citizens transporting nuisance opossums said Davis. Citizens who have trapped high risk rabies carrying wildlife such as skunks, raccoons, and foxes should continue to call ACS for transport. ACS employees will pick up these animals regardless of whether they are caught in a city or privately owned trap.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 16:45:28 +0000