ANIMAL RIGHTS IN CALIFORNIA

In California, wild animals are considered the property of the state and are governed by state laws contained in the Fish and Game Code , the Public Health Code, the Fish and Game Comission Regulations, and other statues.Other plants and animals are regulated/protected by Federal laws. Both California and United States laws protect game, non-game, fur-bearing, and endangered/ threatened species . Kern County ordinances prohibit the possession of certain native (skunks) or exotic (lions, tigers,etc.) animals.

Some “ANIMAL LAWS“:

Many animals are prohibited in California, even though they may be posses legally in other states or countries. Federal law makes it illegal to transport across state lines an animal that is illegally taken in another state. The California and U.S. Departements of Agriculture prohibit the importation of many exotic animals and plants.

It is illegal in California to release into the wild an animal that is not native to that place.

Endangered Species

Many species of plants and animals are protected by the California Endangered Species Act and/or the U.S. Endangered Species Act (Local Endangered Species). These include the Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Spotted Owl, Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard, San Joaquin Kit Fox,Tipton Kangaroo Rat, Hoover's Eriastrum, etc.

Penalties for “take“ may be over $25,000 (or double that) for each individual animal!