Commercially raised sheep, cattle, or horses killed or injured by bears, cougars, or wolves may be eligible for compensation using available state funds. (Bear depredations are currently not funded for claim payment.) Compensation for certain other domestic animal losses depends on availability of federal or private funds.
The claimant is required to provide documentation that includes the proof of ownership or copy of a lease for the livestock, records of commercial value of the lost livestock, an estimate of the percentage loss of value for the injured livestock, and a completed claim form. State law requires that only claims of $500 or more may be filed with the department for compensation from state funds. The claimant must also submit a department approved checklist showing the non-lethal reasonable measures that have been tried to reduce risk of depredations.
For confirmed depredations by wolves, the owner will be paid for verified losses on acreage of less than 100 acres. The owner will be paid an amount of twice the verified losses on acreage greater than 100 acres. Payment at twice the verified losses assumes that multiple animals are missing.
For depredations classified by WDFW as "probable" wolf depredations, the owner will be paid for the verified loss on acreage greater than or equal to 100 acres. Payment will be half the verified loss on acreage less than 100 acres.
Steps for submitting a claim
The claimant is responsible for providing documentation to establish claim eligibility and for determining the amount and value of livestock lost or injured. WDFW is responsible for determining the cause of the livestock loss and verifying the claimant eligibility and confirming the value of the loss to be compensated within RCW laws and WAC rules.
The compensated value of the loss is based on market values provided by the claimant or established by an independent third-party certified livestock appraiser. The department then reviews the documentation of value submitted for its compliance with WACs 220-440-170 and 220-44-180 and works to verify the value is correct before an offer of payment can be made..
To submit a claim for loss compensation, the claimant must complete the following steps:
- Notify WDFW within 24 hours of discovering a livestock attack.
- During business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday), notify the nearest WDFW regional office.
- Outside WDFW business hours, notify local state patrol.
- Protect the carcass to avoid scavenging and allow an on-site investigation to be completed by WDFW or its designee as to the cause of the death or injury.
- Request a claim form within 30 days of discovering the loss by contacting the Wildlife Conflict Section of the Wildlife Program in writing, by US mail or via email:
- Mailing address: PO Box 43141, Olympia, WA 98504-3141
- Phone: (360) 902-2515
- Email: wildlifedamageclaims@dfw.wa.gov
- Please NOTE: Claims that do not involve the above listed species, are not raised commercially, or that do not follow the above claim process and timelines will not be accepted!
- Submit a completed claim form within 90 days of notifying WDFW of the loss. A completed form includes a depredation claim eligibility checklist to show proactive measures in place, estimated value of lost or injured livestock, proof of ownership of lost or injured livestock, report of any related insurance policies, and signature.
WDFW will notify the claimant upon completion of the evaluation. The claimant then has 60 days to accept or appeal the offer for settlement of the claim or appeal a claim denial. Any disagreements between the claimant and WDFW over the livestock loss value may be settled through an adjudicative proceeding. Individual claims are limited to no more than $30,000, even if appealed.
The preceding text is only a summary of regulations regarding livestock damage claims and has in itself no force of law. The actual claims authorization and processes are found in state laws and in administrative rules. These laws and rules are found in the Revised Code of Washington in RCWs 77.04.012, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, 77.36.010, 77.36.100, 77.36.130, and 77.16.170 and the Washington Administrative Code in WACs 220-440-010, 220-440-020, 220-440-170, 220-440-180, and 220-440-230.