Introduction

Attempts by private citizens and non-governmental organizations to rehabilitate injured and apparently orphaned birds are common. The demand for services is increasing. The Canadian Wildlife Service under the authority of the Migratory Bird Convention Act may issue permits to allow the rehabilitation of migratory birds in Canada. The holder of a Rehabilitation Permit may collect and possess injured migratory birds for rehabilitation purposes, provided these have come into possession legally and are not bought, sold or traded.

General Rehabilitation Permit

The rehabilitation applicant must demonstrate that he/she has the knowledge, skills and facilities needed to endure adequate care of the birds. This assessment of the applicant and their facilities is done at the time of the application and may include a site inspection.

The Canadian Wildlife Service in the Atlantic Region requires that the rehabilitation facilities meet the requirements set out in the comprehensive set of regulations drawn up by the Province of Nova Scotia for rehabilitation of wildlife, titled Wildlife Rehabilitation Certification Requirements. In the case of Nova Scotia applicants it will be sufficient to know the a facility is licensed under Nova Scotia regulations for the facilities (not necessarily the applicant) to be eligible for a general migratory bird rehabilitation permit.

Emergency Rehabilitation Permit

The philosophy and principles that guide the Canadian Wildlife Service oiled wildlife response are summarized in the Canadian Wildlife Service National Policy on Oiled Birds and Oiled Species at Risk (November 1999). Response plans, specific to each region, implement the National Policy and recognize the need to license non-government groups or agencies to undertake rescue, rehabilitation or euthanization of wildlife affected by releases of oil to the environment.

The type of response required, the expertise and the capacity to respond to emergency situations is generally much different than for circumstances covered under a General Rehabilitation Permit. In emergency conditions, such as found during oil spills, large numbers of birds may be affected at the same time. Often on-site triage is required to determine which birds receive priority treatment, facilities may have to be established from scratch at the site of the incident, and the responder must have the ability to manage complex operations involving many people and many logistic and financial challenges, while still upholding the fundamental rehabilitation principle of humane treatment for the affected birds. The criteria for a permit under these conditions cannot be measured only by existing equipment or accommodations, rather the criteria require a demonstrated capability to mobilize a major humane response under emergency conditions. Therefore the criteria for a person or organization to have an Emergency Rehabilitation Permit are different than for a General Rehabilitation Permit.

The criteria set out below for an Emergency Rehabilitation Permit concern a person’s or organization's capability of dealing with many injured or debilitated birds and managing the logistical tasks associated with emergency response.

General Criteria for Both Emergency Permit Types

All applicants for an Emergency Rehabilitation Permit for migratory birds must submit, with their application for either a Level 1 or a Level 2 permit, an agency prospectus or business plan containing the following information:

1. Subscription to a recognized system of treatment, including standards for triage, caging, cleaning and/or euthanization. Standards considered acceptable by CWS Atlantic are as follows:

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, March 2001. DRAFT Best Practices for Migratory Bird Care During Oil Spill Response. USFWS, Division of Environmental Quality, 70 pp.
• White, J., s. Patton, A. Kasker and J Lainson. 1998. Recommended Protocols for the Care of Oil-affected Birds. States/ British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force. 73 pp.
• Beaulieu, D., and G. Fitzgerald. 1998. Guide d’intervention d’urgence lors de deversements d’hydrocarbures: Rehabilitation d’oiseau contamines. Union Quebecoise de Rehabilitation des oiseaux proie. 28 pp.

2. Within the subscribed standard, indicate species specific statements of cleaning techniques, including standards for caging, triage and euthanization. (This is important as the decisions taken at each step of the process may differ for waterfowl as opposed to pelagic seabirds.)

3. Summary of emergency rehabilitation experience of the organization or individual applying for the permit.

4. List of permanent, salaried and part-time staff, with CVs specifying relevant experience.

5. List of associated, standby or retained personnel, not staff of the organization, with CVs specifying relevant experience.

6. Description of permanent facilities (if any) and description of facilities which could be created in an emergency situation at or close to an emergency response location.

7. List and description of locations or facilities in Atlantic Canada that may be available to the applicant for emergency rehabilitation. (Provide copies of any agreements which you may have concerning such facilities.)

8. Demonstrated capability of training paid, volunteer or citizen recruits, and experience in such training.

9. Demonstrated compliance that all operations would be done in accordance with all federal and provincial occupational health and safety regulations.

10. At least three references from government licensing agencies, or response organizations or companies that have previously hired the applicant.

Permit Types

The Canadian Wildlife Service will recognize two levels of capability or capacity for the Emergency Rehabilitation Permit

• the responder or wildlife response organization who has the capability of managing the treatment of a small number of animals at one time;
  
  and
  
  
• the wildlife response organization or responder, who has the capability of managing the treatment of a large number of animals in various states of distress at one time.

Level 1 Emergency Rehabilitation Permit: managing the treatment of a small number of birds (accommodating and maintaining up to ten birds)

This permit requires meeting the criteria 1 through 10 (General Criteria) and criteria 11 through 16 (Level 1).

11. No full time veterinarian on staff necessary, but a written consultation agreement with a qualified veterinarian who can provide advice or respond during a response.

12. Formal and documented computer or paper routines for tracking birds, from the initial contact with the birds through to disposal or release of the birds.

13. Familiarity with the protocols for maintaining chain of evidence for legal purposes.

14. A communications policy and protocols which identifies an organization spokesperson.

15. Provision of collateral agreements with other organizations if such exist.

16. Permit for bird banding or written agreement with a banding permit holder.

Level 2 Emergency Rehabilitation Permit: managing the treatment of a large number of birds (accommodating and maintaining more than ten birds)

This permit requires meeting the criteria 1 through 10 (General Criteria), and criteria 12 to 16 (Level 1) [but excluding criteria 11], and criteria 17 to 20.

17. One or more full-time veterinarians available for immediate deployment to the emergency response site. These persons must either be on staff or available on 24 hrs notice for the duration of a response. (Provide copy of retainer agreement(s) showing veterinarians available to organization and the conditions of their agreement including response times etc.)

18. One or more full-time administrative and logistic staff available for immediate deployment.

19. Formal and documented computer or paper routines for:

• managing human resources
• managing emergency training of responders
• managing financial and contractual arrangements
• managing a program for banding released birds

20. Demonstrated capability of:

• making emergency logistic arrangements (personnel, infrastructure, equipment, training).
• recruiting and managing sufficient wildlife care personnel.

Atlantic Region Emergency Rehabilitation Permit Committee