The House Committee on Natural Resources endorsed the passage of Senate Bill 17-13, or “The Raising of Sambar Deer in Captivity Act of 2010.”
The Senate already passed this bill authored by Rota Independent Sen. Jovita M. Taimanao on Feb. 26.
According to the committee’s report, the open season for Sambar deer is from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30 of each year.
If the bill is enacted into law, those who will capture the deer alive can raise them on an agricultural lot and not within the vicinity of a residential area.
“The committee agrees to pass this bill with amendments to clarify the specific area in which the Sambar deer can be domesticated or raised in captivity,” the report stated.
Although passing the bill into law will result in additional government expenditure, the committee said the fees and fines from the raisers who will violate the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s rules will defray the cost.
“The benefits of allowing the raising of Sambar deer in captivity will assist the preservation of their existence for future generations and outweigh such costs that may arise,” it added.
