Permits to keep protected animals
What is a Protected Animal?
Section 2 of Conservation of Wild Life Act (CoWA) states that a Protected Animal is any animal not listed or mentioned under the Second or Third Schedule of the Act.
Regulation 9 (1) made under Section 24 of CoWA states that “No person shall keep a protected animal in captivity unless he is authorized so to do by permit issued under these Regulations”.
Regulation 9 (2) made under Section 24 of CoWA states that “Any person who contravenes subregulation (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine of two hundred dollars”. A permit to keep a Protected Animal is therefore required.
How to access this service
Persons desirous of obtaining a Permit to keep a Protected Animal must apply on the appropriate form which can be obtained at the following Forestry Division Locations:
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- Forestry Division North East Office, Damarie Hill, Sangre Grande
- Forestry Division Wildlife Section, farm Road, St. Joseph
- Forestry Division South Office, Balisier Ave, Pleasantville
- Forestry Head Office, Long Circular Rd, St. James
- Forestry Rio Claro, Ranns Building, Naparima-Mayaro Rd
- Applicant must complete in duplicate the form entitled “APPLICATION TO KEEP PROTECTED ANIMALS [Regulation 9 (1)]”.
- Ensure the office staff stamps a copy and returns it as the applicant’s record of application. The applicant must ensure to obtain information regarding the requirements for keeping that specific animal
- The applicant will be called for arrangement of a site visit by Game Wardens or someone else from the Wildlife Section. The Wildlife personnel will make a recommendation to the Chief Game Warden for a permit to be granted or not.
- Consideration for recommendation will be based on whether the acquisition of the animal was legal, the housing and the environment and health and disease risks among other considerations
- Once the Wildlife Section personnel is satisfied, a recommendation will be made for a permit to be granted from the date the application is approved, this is valid until the December 31st of that year.
