§ 242.4. Wildlife rehabilitation center.

Wildlife rehabilitation centers shall be subject to the following provisions:

(a)

Each operator shall ensure that each animal is provided with:

(1)

Adequate food and water;

(2)

Adequate shelter that is clean and of the proper type and size for the particular type of animal and its age, size, species, and weight;

(3)

Adequate exercise;

(4)

Adequate lighting; and

(5)

Veterinary care as necessary to prevent suffering or disease transmission.

(b)

Each operator shall hold a valid Category III Wildlife Rehabilitation permit from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and a migratory bird wildlife rehabilitation permit issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service if the operator rehabilitates migratory birds.

(c)

No operator shall keep a greater number of animals at any one time than those for which the operator maintains adequate caging as required by the applicable state or federal permit or permits held by the operator.

(d)

All animals shall be kept or maintained in such manner that a nuisance is not generated by insects, excessive odor, dust, noise, or other conditions deemed by the zoning administrator to be detrimental to the community health, safety and welfare.

(e)

Removal of dead animals shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of section 5-14 of the Code of the City of Virginia Beach. The operator of the rehabilitation facility shall be the owner of the wildlife they are rehabilitating for the purposes of City Code section 5-14.

(f)

Removal of all waste, including medical waste, shall be conducted daily in accordance with the provisions of section 31-7 of the Code of the City of Virginia Beach.

(g)

All structures, buildings, or cages used for the shelter of animals shall comply with the dimensional requirements of the zoning district in which the facility is located.

(h)

Vehicular parking requirements shall be as specified in the conditional use permit.

(i)

Signage shall conform to the regulations of the district in which the facility is located or to the conditions of its conditional use permit if different.

(j)

The operator may provide educational outreach services at the facility if permitted by its conditional use permit.

(k)

The operator may exhibit at the facility wildlife that has been determined to be rehabilitated yet permanently disabled such that the wildlife can no longer be released to the wild, provided that such activity is allowed by an exhibition permit issued by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service that limits the number and type of wildlife permitted.

(Ord. No. 2976, 4-24-07)

(Ord. No. 2976, 4-24-07)