95.69 Animal dealers.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(c) “Animal dealer" means a person who, as principal or agent, engages in the business of buying for resale or for slaughter, selling or exchanging livestock or wild animals. “Animal dealer" does not include any of the following:

1. An animal dealer employee.

2. The operator of a farm who sells livestock if the operator keeps them on the farm solely for dairy, breeding or feeding purposes and the operator is not otherwise engaged in the business of buying them for resale, slaughter, sale or exchange.

2m. A person holding a license issued under s. 169.15, 169.18, 169.19, or 169.26 who sells wild animals if the person keeps them solely for breeding or feeding purposes and the person is not otherwise engaged in the business of buying them for resale, slaughter, sale or exchange.

3. An auctioneer registered under ch. 480 who conducts any of the following:

a. A farm sale at which no livestock is sold on a consignment basis.

b. A sale conducted at a state, county or district fair or a breeder association show.

c. A sale conducted by a youth agricultural organization.

(d) “Animal dealer employee" means an employee of a licensed animal dealer, who does business in the name of the licensed animal dealer.

(e) “Animal market" has the meaning given in s. 95.68 (1) (ag).

(f) “Animal transport vehicle" has the meaning given in s. 95.71 (1) (dm).

(g) “Livestock" has the meaning given in s. 95.68 (1) (d).

(h) “Wild animal" has the meaning given in s. 95.68 (1) (g).

(2) License. No person may operate as an animal dealer without an annual license from the department, except that no license is required of a person licensed as an animal market operator under s. 95.68. An animal dealer license expires on June 30 annually. An animal dealer license is not transferable.

(2m) Exemption. The department may promulgate rules to exempt groups of persons from the licensing requirement under sub. (2) or the registration requirement under sub. (7) or both.

(3) Application. An application for a license under sub. (2) shall be made on a form provided by the department and shall include information reasonably required by the department for licensing purposes. An application shall be accompanied by the applicable fees and surcharges required under subs. (4) and (5).

(4) License fee; reinspection fee.

(a) The department shall, by rule, specify the fee for an animal dealer license issued under this section.

(b)

1. If the department reinspects an animal dealer operation because the department has found a violation of this chapter or rules promulgated under this chapter, the department shall charge the animal dealer the reinspection fee specified under subd. 2.

2. The department shall specify the reinspection fee to be charged under subd. 1. by rule. The reinspection fee may not exceed the reasonable costs to reinspect the animal dealer operation. The department may specify different reinspection fees for different animal dealer operations.

3. A reinspection fee under this paragraph is payable when the reinspection is completed, and is due upon written demand from the department. The department may issue a demand for payment when it issues a license renewal application form to the animal dealer.

(5) Surcharge and past fees.

(a) An applicant for a license under sub. (2) shall pay a license fee surcharge of $100 if the department determines that within 365 days prior to submitting the license application the applicant did any of the following:

1. Operated as an animal dealer without a license in violation of sub. (2).

1m. Operated as a livestock dealer, as defined in s. 95.69 (1) (c), 1999 stats., without a license in violation of s. 95.69 (2), 1999 stats.

2. Operated an unregistered animal transport vehicle in violation of sub. (7).

2m. Operated an unregistered livestock vehicle, as defined in s. 95.71 (1) (g), 1999 stats., in violation of s. 95.69 (7), 1999 stats.

(b) In addition to the surcharge under par. (a), an applicant for a license under sub. (2) shall pay the fees due for the year in which the applicant was in violation.

(c) The payment of the surcharge and fees under this subsection does not relieve the applicant of other civil or criminal liability that may result from the failure to obtain a license or from the operation of an unregistered vehicle but does not constitute evidence of a violation of a law.

(6) License contingent on fees. The department may not issue or renew a license under sub. (2) unless the applicant pays all fees and surcharges that are due under subs. (4) and (5) as set forth in a statement from the department. The department shall refund a fee or surcharge paid under protest if the department determines that the fee or surcharge was not due as a condition of licensing under this section. If a fee or surcharge is paid by check, a license issued in reliance upon that check is void if the check is not honored.

(7) Animal transport vehicle registration. No animal dealer may operate an animal transport vehicle unless the animal transport vehicle is registered with the department in the name of the animal dealer. The animal transport vehicle shall be registered in the name of the animal dealer on a form provided by the department. The registration shall include a description and the serial number of the animal transport vehicle.

(8) Rules. The department may promulgate rules to regulate animal dealers, including rules related to animal dealer qualifications, construction and maintenance of animal transport vehicles, identification of animal transport vehicles, disease sanitation, humane treatment of animals, identification of animals, record keeping, reports to the department and compliance with applicable financial security requirements under state or federal law.

(8m) Transaction records. An auctioneer registered under ch. 480 who sells livestock or wild animals and who is not required to obtain a license under this section shall make records of the sales available to the department upon request for disease investigation purposes.

(9) Penalties. A person conducting a business regulated by this section after revocation of his or her license shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 or imprisoned not to exceed 6 months or both.

History: 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 95; 2001 a. 56; 2009 a. 28.