Permit to operate a CITES rescue centre

Main information

Care for seized, confiscated or secured live specimens of endangered species of plants and animals protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is provided by rescue centres authorised for this purpose.

If you want to operate such a rescue centre, you must apply for a permit from the Ministry of the Environment.

This applies to you if

You are a natural or legal person and you intend to care for seized, confiscated or secured live specimens of endangered plant and animal species in your facility.

When to use this service

If you intend to operate a rescue centre to care for seized, confiscated or secured live specimens of endangered species of plants and animals, you must obtain a permit from the Ministry of the Environment.

Service settlement

What you need if you are using this service

You must apply forapermit to operate a rescue centre .

Theapplication for a permit must include:

• identification of the owner and of the applicant for the authorisation to operate the rescue centre, if they are not the same person;
• an affidavit by the applicant for a permit to operate a rescue centre that it will not disclose information about the seized specimens to third parties without the consent of the depositor of the seized specimens and the temporary custodian of the seized specimens;
• a list of the taxa of live specimensthat the applicant for a rescue centre permit proposes to place in the facility;
• a description of the facility and its capacity in terms of the individual taxa or groups of taxa, how the specimens are housed in terms of health and suitable living conditions, and measures to prevent the escape of specimens;
• draft rules of operation for the facility, including the contacts of the responsible persons who will ensure the receipt and release of the seized and confiscated specimens, the number of professional staff and how regular veterinary or phytosanitary care will be provided;
• the address of the location where the rescue centre will be operated.

Where and how to solve this service

Applications for a permit to operate a rescue centre (with all supporting documents) can be submitted in person at the filing office of the Ministry of the Environment or sent by post to:

Ministerstvo životního prostředí

oddělení mezinárodních úmluv

Vršovická 65

100 10 Praha

The filing office is located at the same address.

Applications are dealt with in an administrative procedure and a decision is issued within 30 days from initiation of the procedure. (The procedure shall be initiated on the date of receipt of the application.)

Additional information

What is the benefit of this service

If you obtain a permit to operate a rescue centre, you are entitled to care for seized, confiscated or secured live specimens of endangered species of plants and animals.

Appeal options

An appeal against the decision to issue/not to issue a permit to operate a rescue centre may be lodged within 15 days of its delivery, in accordance with § 152 of Act No 500/2004 Coll., Administrative Code, to the Minister of the Environment via the Ministry at:

Ministerstvo životního prostředí

oddělení mezinárodních úmluv

Vršovická 65

100 10 Praha

An exception is when the addressee has waived the right to file an appeal.