This site will be continually under construction and changing as the states, counties and municipals continually change their regulations and laws. These are the current regulations for 1996 that we have received to date. If you have other information, please let us know the citations of those laws or regulations, the state and when the changes went or will go into effect by sending e-mail to lawschange@monkeymaddness.com.

12.6.1901 DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this rule the following definitions apply:

(1) "Bear" means a member of any species of the genus Ursus.

(2) "Coyote" means a member of the species Canis latrans, including any canine hybrid which is one-half or more coyote.

(3) "Mountain lion" means a member of the species Felis concolour.

(4) "Tattoo means a permanent tattoo or other permanent identification approved by the department.

(5) "Tiger" means a member of the species Felis tigris.

(6) "Wolf" means a member of the species Canis lupus, including any canine hybrid which is one-half or more wolf.

12.6.1902 REPORT OF CAPTURE OR CAPTIVITY-PENALTY

(1) Any person who captures alive for release at a later time, or who holds in captivity for any purpose, any bear, coyote, mountain lion, tiger or wolf, must report the capture or captivity to the department, in accordance with forms prescribed by the department, within 3 days of the capture or commencement of captivity.

(2) Failure to report as provided by subsection (2) (a) is a misdemeanor punishable as provided in 87-1-102, MCA.

(3) Any person holding a bear, coyote, mountain lion, tiger or wolf in captivity shall immediately report to the department any death, escape, release, transfer of custody or other disposition of the animal.

12.6.1903 TATTOOING

(1) Except as provided in ARM 12.6.903 (5), each animal reported as required by ARM 12.6.1902 shall be permanently tattooed with an identifying number assigned by the department, within 15 days after the assignment of the number.

(2) Assigned numbers shall be tattooed on the inside of the left thigh, 6 inches or less from the abdomen. The tattoo shall be indelible and read from left to right as viewed from the animal's feet. Numbers or letters shall be no less than 3/8 inch in height on coyotes and 1/2 inch in height on bear, mountain lions, tigers and wolves.

(3) No tattoo is required by this subsection with respect to an animal subject to a permanent individual identification process by a state or federal agency.

(4) The tattoo shall be certified by either a veterinarian or a department employee.

(5) The department may permit ear tags or ear tattoos to be used as permanent identification of animals born and kept in captivity if the owner or breeder certifies to the department that the animals are intended to be slaughtered for their pelage prior to the age of one year. Any animals identified with ear tags or ear tattoos that are not slaughtered prior to the age of one year must be reported and tattooed as provided in ARM 12.6.1902(1) and 12.6.1903(1) respectively.

12.6.1904 FEES

The fee for reports to the department under ARM 12.6.190 is:

(1) $10 for each animal, except that multiple young born in captivity may be registered as a single animal if the owner or breeder certifies to the department that the animals are intended to be slaughtered for their pelage prior to the age of one year;

(2) if six or more animals (other than multiple young born in captivity) are reported at the same time, $10 each for the first five animals, and thereafter $5 per animal, not to exceed a total of $200.

12.6.1905 EXCEPTIONS

The requirements of ARM 12.6.1901 through 12.6.1904 do not apply with respect to those animals:

(1) captured and released as part of an ongoing game management program or an ongoing predator control program unless the animals have been involved in killing livestock; or

(2) captured and released as part of a scientific, educational or research program as certified by the department.

87-1-231. Tattooing of bears, wolves, tigers, mountain lions, or coyotes -- when required -- penalty.

(1) Any bear, wolf, tiger, mountain lion, or coyote that is captured alive to be later released or which is held in captivity for any purpose must be reported to the department within 3 days of the capture or commencement of captivity. If a person capturing or holding in captivity such animal fails to report an animal as required by this section, such failure is a misdemeanor punishable as provided in 87-1-102.

(2). Each animal reported as required in subsection (1) shall be permanently tattooed or otherwise permanently identified in a manner that will provide positive individual identification of such animal. No tattoo is required under this section if the animal is subject to a permanent, individual identification process by another state or federal agency.

(3) Any person holding a bear, wolf, tiger, mountain lion, or coyote in captivity shall immediately report to the department any death, escape, release, transfer of custody, or other disposition of such animal.

87-1-232. Tattoo records.

(1) The department shall maintain a record of each animal reported to it pursuant to 87-1-231. The record shall indicate:

(a) the person by whom the animal was captured or is held in captivity;

(b) the location of the capture or captivity;

(c) the date the animal was tattooed;

(d) the purpose of the captivity or capture; and

(e) any death, escape, release, transfer of custody, or other disposition of such animal.

(2) The department shall establish by rule a fee to be charged, which may not exceed the administrative cost of maintaining the record required by this section.

87-1-233. Compensation for damage caused by animal held in captivity.

If any bear, wolf, tiger, mountain lion, or coyote that is held in captivity or that escapes from such captivity causes any damage to the personal property of another person, compensation for such damage must be paid by the person holding or who held the animal in captivity.

87-1-234. Exceptions to tattoo and compensation requirements.

Sections 87-1-231 through 87-1-233 do not apply to those animals:

(1) captured and released as part of an ongoing game management program or an ongoing predator control program unless such animals have been involved in livestock killing; or

(2) captured and released as part of a scientific, education, or research program as certified by the department.

There is little State level restriction in Montana. Nonhuman primates can be sold in pet stores. Thus far, however, primates are of little interest to the general populace as potential pets and, according to USDA inspectors, there are very few private owners.

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