Bill > HB448

This bill, known as the Alabama Good Samaritan Wildlife Rehabilitation Act, allows individuals to provide care or treatment to injured, orphaned, or debilitated wild birds or animals with the intent of returning them to the wild, but only for wildlife that is not federally protected or endangered. The bill specifically clarifies two important limitations: first, individuals providing such care are not authorized to practice veterinary medicine (as defined in Alabama law), and second, they are not exempt from animal cruelty laws. The act is designed to protect well-intentioned people who want to help wildlife in distress by providing basic care and rehabilitation, while ensuring that such care does not constitute professional veterinary treatment and does not allow for any actions that could be considered animal abuse. The law will go into effect on October 1, 2025, giving wildlife rehabilitators and the public clear guidelines for providing compassionate aid to wild animals in need.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

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