Read the full stored bill text
HLS 26RS-78 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 662
BY REPRESENTATIVES GEYMANN AND VENTRELLA
WILDLIFE & FISHERIES: Provides with respect to seizure of sick, injured, or orphaned
wildlife legally possessed
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 56:56(A)(1) and (B) and to enact R.S. 56:126(G) and 126.1,
3 relative to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; to limit the seizure of certain
4 wildlife that are subject to a rehabilitation or rescue program; to provide for a
5 contradictory hearing; to prohibit euthanizing certain animals without a court order;
6 and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 56:56(A)(1) and (B) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
9 56:126(G) and 126.1 are hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §56. Seizure or surrender of things illegally used or possessed
11 A. Any enforcing officer may seize:
12 (1) Any dead animal or parts thereof, possessed, transported, sold, offered
13 for sale, or purchased contrary to the provisions of this Title.
14 * * *
15 B. Any live animal which is illegal to possess or which may be possessed
16 only by permit or license from the department may be voluntarily surrendered to the
17 department without penalty. The person surrendering the animal shall be immune
18 from prosecution for illegally possessing or possessing without a permit or license
19 provided the surrendering of the animal is initiated prior to any independent
20 investigation or contact by any public employee operating in their official capacity.
Page 1 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-78 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 662
1 The Except as otherwise provided for in R.S. 56:126.1, the department may dispose
2 of a surrendered animal in any manner the department deems appropriate.
3 * * *
4 §126. Wildlife Rehabilitation Program; exemption
5 * * *
6 G. The provisions of this Section shall have prospective and retroactive
7 application to apply to any animal in the possession of any person as provided for by
8 the provisions of this Section regardless of when the animal was initially possessed.
9 §126.1. Seizure of sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife; contradictory hearing
10 A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no employee,
11 officer, or agent of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries shall have the
12 authority to seize any sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife in the possession of an
13 individual pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 56:126 without the issuance of a
14 warrant authorizing the seizure from the district court of the parish where the
15 individual in possession of the sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife resides.
16 B. No sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife seized pursuant to the provisions
17 of this Section shall be euthanized without a contradictory hearing and court order
18 that the animal poses an immediate danger to the public health, safety, and welfare
19 of the citizens of Louisiana and authorizing that the animal be humanely euthanized.
20 C. The individual in possession of sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife that has
21 been seized pursuant to the provisions of this Section, without the payment of any
22 costs, shall be authorized to file a petition in the district court where the individual
23 resides requesting a hearing for the purpose of determining whether the sick, injured
24 or orphaned wildlife shall be humanely euthanized.
25 D. Upon the filing of the petition, the district judge shall immediately issue
26 a rule to show cause on the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries why the sick,
27 injured, or orphaned wildlife should be euthanized. This rule shall, at the time of its
28 issuance, be fixed for hearing not later than five days, including Sundays,
29 half-holidays and holidays, from the date of its issuance, and shall be heard by
Page 2 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-78 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 662
1 preference over all other matters and cases fixed for the same day and shall be heard
2 continuously day after day until submitted for adjudication.
3 E. Upon the showing made by the parties on the trial of the rule to show
4 cause, the court shall determine both of the following:
5 (1) If the sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife poses an immediate danger to
6 the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Louisiana.
7 (2) If the individual seeking to possess the sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife
8 has met all of the requirements provided for in R.S. 56:126(B).
9 F. In every case where sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife is not determined
10 to pose an immediate danger to the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of
11 Louisiana, the court shall order the individual to comply with the conditions
12 established for possession of that wildlife pursuant to R.S. 56:126(B) if they have not
13 already done so and order the sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife be returned to the
14 individual.
15 G. In every case where the sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife is determined
16 to pose an immediate danger to the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of
17 Louisiana, the court shall issue an order directing that the sick, injured, or orphaned
18 wildlife be humanely euthanized.
19 H. The pleading, practice, and procedure in all cases under this Section shall,
20 in addition to the requirements of this Section, be in accordance with the Code of
21 Civil Procedure and the laws and rules of court governing practice before the district
22 courts of this state.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 662 Original 2026 Regular Session Geymann
Abstract: Prohibits the seizure and euthanization of certain wildlife without a contradictory
hearing.
Page 3 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-78 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 662
Present law provides that La. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) may seize any
animal or parts thereof, possessed, transported, sold, offered for sale, or purchased contrary
to the provisions of this Title.
Proposed law changes present law to seizing any dead animal.
Present law provides that the LDWF can dispose of any live animal seized or surrendered
to the department in any manner it deems appropriate.
Proposed law changes present law to prohibit the seizure of any orphaned or injured wildlife
possessed pursuant to present law without the issuance of a warrant authorizing the seizure
from the district court of the parish where the individual in possession of the sick, injured,
or orphaned wildlife resides.
Proposed law further provides that no sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife seized can be
euthanized without a contradictory hearing and court order that the animal poses an
immediate danger to the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of La. and directing
that the animal be humanely euthanized.
Present law provides for an injured and orphaned wildlife rehabilitation provisions.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides that present law will have prospective
and retroactive application to apply to any animal in the possession of any person regardless
of when the animal was initially possessed.
(Amends R.S. 56:56(A)(1) and (B); Adds R.S. 56:126(G) and 126.1)
Page 4 of 4
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.