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Pitchess Detention Center - South Facility / Chapter III - Administrative Orders / Section 3 - Health and Sanitation

3-03-110 Handling of Captured or Injured Animals


3-03-100 Facility Cleaning and Maintenance Inspections of Waist Chains
3-03-120 COVID-19

3-03-110 Handling of Captured or Injured Animals

Effective Date: 01-01-09

Revision Date: 02-17-10

Review Date: 11-01-12

 

PURPOSE OF ORDER:

Purpose of this order is to establish guidelines to ensure the humane treatment of captured or injured animals on the Pitchess Detention Center property.

 

SCOPE OF ORDER:

This order shall apply to all personnel assigned to South Facility, specifically those assigned to Field Operations in a capacity in which they routinely deal with wild animals and rodents.

 

ORDER:

Due to the abundance of wildlife inhabiting the open areas of the Pitchess Detention Center property, encounters with wild animals and rodents occur on a daily basis.  Unfortunately some of these creatures become destructive and need to be removed to protect our operation and others may be found injured or in distress.  In many cases these animals are territorial and cannot be relocated.  The following rules shall be followed in order to protect and preserve these animals as much as possible and to protect our personnel and visitors from injury:

  1. Personnel shall not torment, annoy, molest, or disturb any animal.
  2. Personnel shall not attempt to put an injured animal out of its misery by unusual methods such as stomping or throwing rocks at them. Animal Control personnel may be requested to assist in capturing the injured animal.
  3. Live traps may be used for problem animals with the approval of the Field Sergeant, Ranch Lieutenant or the on-duty Watch Commander.
  4. Larger animals caught in live traps (squirrels, raccoons, and possums) shall be delivered to Animal Control officials where they will be humanely euthanized.
  5. Set traps must be checked every 24 hours, and the animals shall not be left in the traps where they will be exposed to the direct sun.
  6. It is recommended that anyone handling wild animals, particularly those that are sick or dead, should use gloves and treat the animal as if it were contaminated.
  7. Injured deer, bobcats, bears and mountain lions should not be handled without notification of California Fish and Game via their Dispatch Center in San Bernardino at [REDACTED TEXT]
  8. Under no circumstances shall any Department member attempt to tame or keep any wild animal as a pet or feed any wild animal.

Please note that Fish and Game Officials will not remove mountain lions from the Pitchess Detention Center based solely on possible danger to humans.

These procedures do not preclude emergency situations, when justified, that immediate positive police action is needed to protect persons and property.

If there are any questions concerning how to handle incidents involving wild animals, please contact Animal Control officials at the Castaic Animal Shelter, [REDACTED TEXT]