What it takes to register a wild animal

BOISE – The Idaho Department of Fish and Game says all the wolves taken from a home outside of Melba Wednesday were registered properly with the state.

The owner, Sandy Knox, handed over dozens of wild and domestic animals to authorities, including 17 wolves.

If you want to own a wolf in Idaho - you have to get a permit from Fish and Game.

This year, Fish and Game issued 19 permits in the region - all to Sandy Knox.  She was allowed to keep two of her wolves.

Fish and Game says anyone who owns a wolf as a pet, or captures one, must register the animal within three days.

Right now, Fish and Game is working with the Idaho Department of Agriculture because the delisting of wolves left some gray areas in the ownership rules.

“Prior to delisting we had a section of rules that dealt with tattooing and licensing, and now that wolves are classified as big game animals in the state, now they technically fall in to a different part of the rules. So it’s going to be in flux right now until we figure out what it’s going to take to own a wolf,” said wildlife veterinarian Mark Drew, Idaho Department of Agriculture.

Aside from wolves, Knox handed over numerous cats, dogs, a goose and five bobcats.  She was allowed to keep two bobcats.

Fish and Game says owning a bobcat does not require a permit.

Owyhee County Sheriff Gary Aman says it is illegal to capture a bobcat, but Knox told him that her bobcats were born in captivity.