Sec.26-67e-9. Housing facilities

(a) No resident of Connecticut shall be issued a falconry permit unless the commissioner or the commissioner’s duly designated agent has inspected and certified that the raptor housing facilities comply with the requirements of subsections (b) to (h), inclusive, of this section. For the purposes of this section, a “mews” is an indoor area of a facility for housing a raptor.

(b) All raptors shall be kept under humane and healthful conditions as described in this section. Raptor housing facilities shall include a mews (indoor facility) and a weathering area that provides protection from the environment, predators, domestic animals and undue disturbance. Each raptor shall have a pan of clean water available at all times except during short periods when weather conditions, the perch type used, or other factor makes access to a water pan unsafe for the raptor. The mews and weathering area may be one enclosure or two separate enclosures.

(c) The requirements for separate mews shall be:

(1) For a single raptor: An enclosure having minimum dimensions of eight feet by eight feet by seven feet, and allows the bird room to fly if it is untethered;

(2) for two or three raptors: An enclosure having minimum dimensions of eight feet by eight feet by seven feet, provided that each raptor shall be able to fly if untethered and, if tethered, to fully extend its wings or bate without damaging its feathers or touching the roof, any walls or any other raptor;

(3) a raptor shall be tethered or separated by solid partitions if the species or individuals cannot be safely housed together;

(4) at least one window, protected on the inside by vertical bars that are spaced narrower than the width of the raptor's body;

(5) a roof which covers at least one half the size of the enclosure;

(6) at least three walls constructed of solid materials such as wood, metal, corrugated plastic or similar material;

(7) the fourth wall may be constructed of nonsolid material such as chain-link fencing, welded wire, heavy-duty plastic mesh, heavy-duty netting, or vertical bars having a mesh opening or spacing between the vertical bars that prevents the escape or entrapment of the raptor. A mesh opening of two inches by two inches or spacing between vertical bars of two inches shall not be exceeded;

(8) vestibule area with two secure doors that can be easily closed and locked at all times;

(9) a floor consisting of pea gravel, sand, grass, artificial turf, rubber mats, or other artificial substrates that provide proper drainage and are easily cleaned; and,

(10) two or more perches per raptor if the raptor is not tethered and one perch per raptor if the raptor is tethered, with at least one perch available under the solid section of the roof.

(d) The requirements for a separate weathering area shall be:

(1) For a single raptor: An enclosure having minimum dimensions of eight feet by eight feet by seven feet;

(2) for two or three raptors: An enclosure having minimum dimensions of eight feet by eight feet by seven feet provided that each raptor, when tethered, shall be able to fully extend its wings or bate without damaging its feathers or touching the roof, any walls or any other raptor;

(3) a roof that consists of a solid area at least one third (1/3) the size of the entire cage;

(4) entirely enclosed with at least two of the side walls consisting of nonsolid materials such as chain-link fencing, welded wire, heavy-duty plastic mesh, heavy-duty netting, or vertical bars;

(5) the mesh opening or spacing between the vertical bars shall prevent the escape or entrapment of a captive raptor;

(6) the maximum mesh opening shall be two inches by two inches and the maximum spacing between vertical bars shall be two inches; and,

(7) two or more perches per raptor if the raptor is not tethered and one perch per raptor if it is tethered, with at least one perch available under the solid section of the roof.

(e) The requirements for a combined mews and weathering area shall be:

(1) For a single raptor: An enclosure having minimum dimensions of ten feet by ten feet by seven feet and allows the bird room to fly if it is untethered;

(2) for two or three raptors: An enclosure having minimum dimensions of ten feet by ten feet by seven feet provided that each raptor shall be able to fly if untethered and, if tethered, to fully extend its wings or bate without damaging its feathers or touching the roof, any walls or any other raptor;

(3) a raptor shall be tethered or separated by solid partitions if the species or individuals cannot be safely housed together;

(4) a roof which covers at least one half the size of the enclosure;

(5) at least one wall and one third (1/3) of the two adjacent walls constructed of solid materials such as wood, metal, corrugated plastic or similar material;

(6) at least one half (½) of one wall constructed of nonsolid material such as chain-link fencing, welded wire, heavy-duty plastic mesh, heavy-duty netting, or vertical bars having a mesh opening or spacing between the vertical bars that prevents the escape or entrapment of the raptor. A mesh opening of two inches by two inches or spacing between vertical bars of two inches shall not be exceeded;

(7) vestibule area with two secure doors that can be easily closed and locked at all times;

(8) a floor consisting of pea gravel, sand, grass, artificial turf, rubber mats, or other artificial substrates that provide proper drainage and are easily cleaned; and,

(9) two or more perches per raptor if the raptor is not tethered and one perch per raptor if it is tethered, with at least one perch available under the solid section of the roof.

(f) Perches located in the mews and weathering areas shall be of natural materials with all sharp protrusions removed or the perches shall be covered with sisal or manila strand rope, artificial turf or indoor/outdoor carpeting. Natural perches and coverings shall be replaced when worn.

(g) A falconer relocating the raptor housing facility and a raptor to a new location shall notify the commissioner 30 days in advance before the facility is relocated.

(h) The mews and weathering area shall be kept clean and maintained in good working order at all times.

(Adopted effective March 1, 2004; Amended December 9, 2013)