The pet industry represents a significant sub-pathway for OIT management; In WI, it is illegal to sell/trade regulated species, or even to possess in some instances. WDNR Law Enforcement is constantly working behind the scenes conducting undercover visits to various facets of the pet industry, including distributors, to ensure regulated species are not present in trade. As AIS outreach staff, our focus is on educating the pet industry as well as consumers on regulations related to OIT, and the importance of never releasing live organisms to the wild. 

The OIT Work Group has developed a protocol for LMPN partners to conduct outreach and monitoring to pet stores. These visits are intended to be purely educational and are not compliance inspections; all enforcement of regulations related to OIT is handeled by WDNR Law Enforcement. 

As regulations surrounding the OIT pathway are complex, a one-time training is required beforehand for LMPN partners to conduct Outreach and Monitoring Visits. To set up a training, please contact your Regional AIS Biologist, or Patrick Siwula and Liz Tanner. 

For partners who have been trained and will be conducting visits, the Protocol and Visit Log can be found within BOX here . Please also upload any completed Visit Logs to this same location. 

Live organisms in classrooms can potentially result in the introduction and spread of invasive species. The OIT Work Group is conducting outreach and education to teachers and teacher organizations on this topic to ensure that regulated species are not being used in classroom settings. 

Additional efforts include educating teachers on the risks of allowing students to take live organisms home, which represents a potential pathway for introduction to the wild via accidental or intentional release. 

If your work includes outreach and education activities with school groups, please keep these concepts in mind and help provide education regarding the use of organisms in classrooms. For additional information or guidance, please contact Liz Tanner Liz Tanner  or Patrick Siwula. 

OIT species in the food trade is a large emphasis of law enforcement efforts. Efforts focus on ensuring that species such as invasive carp, red swamp crayfish, Asian swamp eels, and other species are not present in the live food industry. 

Additional work by the OIT program includes communications on crayfish boils and outreach at farmers markets. 

Crayfish Boil FAQ 

DATCP inspects their own licensed nurseries. If NR40 regulated species are found, DATCP works with the OIT program on outreach and compliance efforts. For more information on DATCP's nursery program, see their webpage 

Outreach efforts to gardeners can also be found on the Gardener Outreach webpage 

New in 2025! Check out this new fact sheet for invasive plant species commonly found in trade.

As the online marketplace grows, so does the potential for online trade of regulated organisms. In order to address this sub-pathway, the DNR provides general education to the public, as well as targeted outreach to vendors selling regulated species.

If you find regulated species for sale online, email screenshots and a link to the sale to the Statewide OIT Coordinator at Elizabeth.Tanner@Wisconsin.gov .