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Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2962 (2026)

  Exotic wildlife dealer permits.

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 2962.  Exotic wildlife dealer permits.

(a)  Authorization.--The commission may issue a permit to a person to act as an exotic wildlife dealer. The permit shall authorize the holder to import into this Commonwealth, possess, buy, sell, locate or find for a fee, barter, donate, give away or otherwise dispose of exotic wildlife. A dealer or third person who arranges any trades, sales or purchases set forth in section 2965 (relating to exclusions) for any type of a fee, reimbursement or commission shall be required to have an exotic wildlife dealer's permit.

(b)  Shelter, care and protection.--No permit shall be granted by the commission until it is satisfied that the provisions for housing and caring for the exotic wildlife and protection for the public are proper and adequate and in accordance with the standards which may be established by regulations adopted by the commission.

(c)  Unlawful acts.--It is unlawful for any person to:

(1)  Import into this Commonwealth, possess, buy, sell, locate or find for a fee, barter, donate, give away or otherwise dispose of more than one bird or one animal classified as exotic wildlife in any calendar year without first securing a permit issued under this section.

(2)  Release exotic wildlife into the wild.

(3)  Fail to exercise due care in safeguarding the public from attack by exotic wildlife.

(4)  Recklessly engage in conduct which places or may place another person in danger of attack by exotic wildlife.

(d)  Penalty.--

(1)  A violation of this section relating to permits or regulations adopted thereunder is a summary offense of the first degree.

(2)  Any other violation of this section is a summary offense of the sixth degree.

(3)  Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense, but, under no circumstances, shall the accumulated penalty for purposes of a field receipt exceed $500. There shall be no limit on any accumulated penalty a court may assess.

(e)  Discretion of director.--In addition to the penalties provided, the director may, for any violation of this section or the rules and regulations thereunder, revoke or suspend any permit and order the disposal of any exotic wildlife held.

(Apr. 20, 1988, P.L.353, No.55, eff. 60 days)

 

1988 Amendment.  Act 55 amended subsec. (c).

Cross References.  Section 2962 is referred to in section 2965 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1990–2005 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Reynolds, 876 A.2d 1088 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005).
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Commonwealth v. Reynolds, 876 A.2d 1088 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005). · cites it 5× “n support of its position that the animals constituted contraband, the Commission’s Assistant Director of the Bureau of Law Enforcement testified that Reynolds had never been issued an exotic wildlife dealer permit, an exotic wildlife possession permit or a wildlife menagerie…”
Blackhawk v. Pennsylvania, 381 F.3d 202 (3rd Cir. 2004). “§ 2943), fox chasing (34 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. § 2945), maintaining a “menagerie” (34 Pa.”
Old Guard Mut. Ins. v. Quigley, 4 Pa. D. & C.4th 620 (1990). “Pursuant to 34 Pa.C.S. §2962, adopted and made effective after the date of the incident, the Game Commission may issue a permit to a person to act as an exotic wildlife dealer for possessing, buying, selling, donating, giving away or otherwise disposing of exotic .”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2962(a) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Reynolds, 876 A.2d 1088 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005). “n support of its position that the animals constituted contraband, the Commission’s Assistant Director of the Bureau of Law Enforcement testified that Reynolds had never been issued an exotic wildlife dealer permit, an exotic wildlife possession permit or a wildlife menagerie…”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2962(c)(1) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Reynolds, 876 A.2d 1088 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005). “n support of its position that the animals constituted contraband, the Commission’s Assistant Director of the Bureau of Law Enforcement testified that Reynolds had never been issued an exotic wildlife dealer permit, an exotic wildlife possession permit or a wildlife menagerie…”
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