Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

The Arizona Game and Fish Department recently suspended the wildlife rehabilitation license and denied the wildlife holding license of Forever Wild and owner Darlene Braastad of Tucson due to substandard care and conditions of the wildlife in her possession and failure to allow full inspections of her facility, a condition of her license.

Action was taken after multiple repeat violations were documented in a December 2014 inspection of Braastad’s facility. The department requested that Braastad transfer all restricted wildlife in her possession to the department, including two Harris’ hawks, a red-tailed hawk, an American kestrel falcon and a bobcat.

The department, as the trustee of all of Arizona’s wildlife, took these actions to protect the health, safety and welfare of the wildlife in Braastad’s custody. The department believes her failure to meet the minimum care and captivity standards required of special license holders poses an immediate threat to the wildlife held at her facility.

During an administrative inspection in December 2014, department staff noted numerous hazardous conditions and wildlife requiring veterinary treatment.

“All wildlife held under special license is the property of the state and subject to surrender at the department’s request,” said Raul Vega, Tucson regional supervisor for Game and Fish.

“The Arizona Game and Fish Department relies heavily on its network of wildlife rehabilitators throughout the state, but the department has a trust responsibility to ensure that wildlife is housed in appropriate enclosures and receives any necessary medical treatment as required by state policy.”

In order to possess or handle most live native and/or restricted wildlife in Arizona, a special license is required. For more information, visit http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/special_licenses.shtml.