Bogus Fines from the PGC

April 2001 I bought a bear cub exotic animal auction.. At the time I had no idea that a permit was required before

an exotic animal was purchased.

My plan was, after I brought the cub home, I would take her to the vet for a check up and to inquire about a permit.
It was about a week before I got an appointment.. In the meantime, the Game Commissioner somehow found out that
I bought a bear cub.

The Game Commission was at the house, and asked about a bear cub, He told me, If I tell the truth, there will not be
any problems, and the fines will not be more than $100.00....... I could have lied, but told him the truth, I told him,
"yes, I do have a cub"
The game warden proceeded to tell me the cub was not legal, the cub needed a pen and permit. .OK, I understand I was wrong, I would have never thought it was this much of a hassle to get an exotic animal.

The game officer took the cub away. Two hours later he called me and said if I want the cub back, to meet him at the magistrate's office and plead guilty to several different citations, then I could have her back.. but, I had to apply for a permit and in order to get my cub returned.

Now, according to the Pa Game Commissioner, I had to have a 12 X 24 X 12H pen built within 30 days.
The permit was already applied for though.. Now this pen that HAD to be built right way for the cub, even though the cub would not go into this this pen months later.. The cub was way too small to be put in an outside pen by herself.

I went to the magistrate and pled guilty. Over $600.00 later, I had my cub. But, I found out later, that several of the fines were bogus.
One fine was, for not having an importation permit. because the cub was bought in Ohio.. But, there is no regulation for this..

Now, if I would have pled not-guilty, the game officer would not have given me the cub. I am very sure they would have killed it, just as they have done to many other innocent animals.

April 2002: I purchased another bear cub... I called the Game Commissioner and asked what I needed to do to get another cub.. I talked to about 4 or 5 different people there. They all had their own version.
Version 1: "You need to apply for a separate permit.
Version 2: "you can just go buy the cub, then add it on to your existing permit at renewal time.
Version 3: "You need a Bill of Sale, then you can add it on to your permit.
Version 4: "you need your pen inspected by the game officer first"
Version 5: "You need an importation permit"
Version 6" "There is no such thing as a importation permit"
Version 7: "You can add any type of animal to your existing permit"

So which is it? No one there knows.. It sure sounds to me like they wanted me to make a wrong move, so they can collect more money from me. But, it turned out, the game officer had to come and re-inspect my pen. (An annual inspection was just made by the game commission two weeks before he was notified about the second cub)
The first trip he made, he felt it was not sufficient for two young bears.. Guess it was ok for one though! We fixed the minor problems that he found and decided that made the pen inadequate for the housing of two young bears. (Even though he admitted that he knew the second bear was too young to be put in the pen with the other bear)
The Third trip (two weeks later) finally passed his inspection.

May 2003: I attempted to get a permit for two captive-born baby foxes. (One is a Silver Fox the other is a Pearl fox) I made the mistake of talking to three different people from the Game Commission.. When reading the "LAW" in the presence of the Game Officer, who admitted that it could be either way we found the section where they claim that you have to have two years experience with the species that you are dealing with, the exact wording states
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"(f) Experience required.. A new applicant for an exotic wildlife possession permit shall provide documentation of at least 2 years experience of hand-on work with the designated species. Including care, feeding handling, training and husbandry. This experience shall be from a recognized/approved facility and the owner, manager or licensee of this facility shall provide a letter of reference"
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We are NOT new Applicants, as we have had an Exotic Wildlife Possession Permit for over two years.. The law says nothing about a current permit holder.

Version 1: "No foxes are allowed in Pa anymore.
Version 2: "You need an importation permit"
Version 3: "You need to have two years experience with this type of animal first"
Version 4: "No red or grey fox is allowed. But, any other type might be ok.

I finally got the permit, but it took almost 6 months. Of course, I was not allowed to bring the foxes home, until I had the permit in-hand.

I have read the game commission rules and regulations over and over.. None of them make any sense. They are designed only to suit themselves.. It is very contradicting.

My comment on the Pa Game Commission

The Pa Game Commission has no idea what it is like to raise an exotic animal and they do not know anything at all about these type of animals... Therefore, I believe, they should not regulate any animal that was born in captivity...

Supposedly, by law, the Game Officers are not even permitted to own any type of exotic animal.
This makes as much sense as having someone who has never driven a automobile conducting the test for a driver license.

They can't seem to make up their mind just what animals they think they have control over.
I don't understand why there are some very small animals, such as sugar gliders, chinchillas, etc. that they seem to think they have control over.. Even though these type of small animals are not even mentioned in their rule and regulations. They have also confiscated many of these type animals from people.
Why? what type of harm can a very small animal do?
Is the Game Commissioner that stupid or that greedy?

One of their excuses is for regulating some of these animals, is disease problems. I have asked several different times, "Do they have any confirmed cases of diseases in captive born animals" The PGC has not yet been able to produce this information..

Another excuse, "These exotics are dangerous.
Well, what I would like to know is how can a little sugar glider, Hedge hog or chinchillas hurt someone?

Based on my experience, a Rhea (ostrich family) is more aggressive than most exotic animals..
I have seen dangerous steers or bull (banded male cows) than a bear. I have seen aggressive and dangerous pigs. But to think these little tiny animals, foxes, ground hogs, skunks etc. are dangerous....
I don't understand this one..

Ok, so sometimes, the Game Commissioner will say "these animals cannot be indigenous to this state to acquire a permit". But black bears and coyotes are ok, even though they are indigenous to this state. Figure that one out????
When you are dealing with an animal that was born in captivity and raised by a license breeder,
what is the difference? They were not born in the wild. Therefore, it does not make them a wild animal.
I am not saying that exotic pets should not be regulated. I believe most should, but by someone that knows more about them and understands them. Possibly the Dept of Agriculture would be better for regulating exotics than the pgc...

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