§113-272.6. Transportation of cervids and licensing of captive cervid facilities

(a)        The Wildlife Resources Commission shall regulate the transportation, including importation and exportation, and possession of cervids, including game carcasses and parts of game carcasses extracted by hunters. The Commission shall allow the sale of antlers, antler velvet, or hides from captive populations of cervids. The Commission shall adopt rules to implement this section, including requirements for captivity licenses, captivity permits, and transportation permits. The rules adopted pursuant to this section shall establish standards of care for the transportation and possession of cervids, including requirements for fencing, tagging, record keeping, and inspection of captive cervid facilities. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commission may charge a fee of up to fifty dollars ($50.00) for the processing of applications for captivity licenses, captivity permits, and transportation permits, and the renewal or modification of those licenses and permits. The fees collected shall be applied to the costs of administering this section.

(b)        The Wildlife Resources Commission shall notify every applicant for a transportation permit that any permit issued is subject to the applicant's compliance with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' requirements for transportation pursuant to Article 34 of Chapter 106 of the General Statutes.

(c)        The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall regulate the production and sale of farmed cervids for commercial purposes pursuant to G.S. 106-549.97.

(d)       Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission shall issue captivity licenses, captivity permits, or transportation permits to any person possessing cervids that were held in captivity by that person prior to May 17, 2002, if the Executive Director finds that the applicant has come into compliance with all applicable rules related to the holding of cervids in captivity by January 1, 2004, and that issuance of such license or permit does not pose unreasonable risk to the conservation of wildlife resources.

(e)        Any captivity license, captivity permit, or cervids held contrary to the provisions of this section may be subject to forfeiture and disposition in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 113-137 or G.S. 113-276.2.

(2003-344, s. 5; 2014-100, s. 14.26(e).)