Brands or tattoo marks; recording; prima facie evidence of ownership.

An owner or prospective owner of a fur-bearing animal described in this part which is living in captivity is entitled, by written subscribed statement, to adopt distinctive brands or tattoo marks, not including Arabic numerals and not including brands or tattoo marks already in known use by others, for such fur-bearing animals, and to have the distinctive identifying brands or tattoo marks recorded in his or her name in the office of the commission of agriculture, upon paying a recording fee of $1.00 for each brand or each tattoo mark. All fees received by the department of agriculture under this part shall be retained by the department of agriculture and used to defray the expenses of administering this part. Such statements shall be recorded in a suitable book to be kept in the office of the commission of agriculture. The presence of a recorded brand or recorded tattoo mark upon such a fur-bearing animal is prima facie evidence of the ownership of the animal by the person in whose name the brand or tattoo mark is recorded, subject always to that person's right to make due transfer of title, right or interest in, or lien upon the animal.