ASSOCIATION CIRCUS MEMBERS
Animals in Circuses and Exhibitions: Legislative Update by Vanessa Gagne, Government Relations and Communications Consultant H
owdy, y’all, from the great state of Texas. These past few months have been
active in animal legislation; from California banning any travel- ing animals in a circus save for a domestic cat, dog, or horse, to the animal abuse registry in Arizona. The Working Animal Protection Act (WAPA) is gaining ground in Missouri thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Cavalry Group and State Representative Spencer. I highly encourage you to support this bill as it is designed to give a state and its constitu- ents the choice to protect the jobs of animals and people that work alongside one another.
Texas
Last week in Texas, SB 641 passed from the Senate to the House. HSUS has employed 10 lobbyists and is using upwards of half a million dollars to push this legislation. This bill is designed to erode and eventually eradicate private ownership of a list of exotic animals which includes lions, tigers, and bears via cost prohibitive fees and bureaucracy. (For the entire list and amended bill text, please visit
https://legiscan.com/ TX/text/SB641/id/2004963). As of May 2, it is being read in the Committee for Public Health.
By using purposefully ambiguous language the new law, if passed, would force any circus traveling with the afore- mentioned animals to forfeit them if found in violation by USDA inspection. Those animals would then be confiscated and housed at either an AZA or ZAA institution until the case against the exhibitor was cleared. The owner would be responsible for all fees incurred during that time to pay for the animals’ care. What is important to note here is what is not being explicitly said in the bill: exotic animals must be kept at accredited facilities determined by the state. Not to mention this opens the door to potentially subjective USDA inspectors determining the fate of well cared for animals. Remember, HSUS owns and operates an animal sanctuary here: Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, TX.
In addition, exhibitors applying for permits will no longer have a set fee from their location — the state will be taking control away from municipalities and thus any income gener- ated by those areas. Instead of the current law which asks for $50 per animal not exceeding $500, the state has not defined
an exact number, only that it can be set at a ‘reasonable fee’. It must be stated that a law concerning dangerous wild ani- mals in Texas is already in place in 26 counties; in fact, 228 of the 254 counties in Texas have made their choice to ban them. Instead of counties making the choice for themselves, this will apply to the whole state, thus removing more choice from their constituents. Let us do our best to work on this together to shelve this HSUS backed bill in the Lone Star State. Don’t Mess With Texas!
Florida A few months ago, Florida Fish
and Wildlife began to ask the public for their input about changing their rules pertaining to elephant rides. After months of public testimony, four public meetings across the state, and two days of meetings in Tallahassee, the commission decided to adhere to the recommendation of Captain Kara Hooker. No changes will be made at this time to the current regulations regarding elephant rides, interactions with exotic animals or wildlife, and non-barrier interactions. I am happy to report that the only changes will be administrative; FFW will keep the rules as is but make it easier for applicants to find out guide- lines and rules for the issuance of permits. Many ARs showed up to the different meetings to show their disdain for the practice. Conversely, our side sent dozens of supporters and speakers, many with years of hands-on elephant experience, to keep the facts straight. In fact, at the meeting, there were 15 participants: 2 against and 13 for keeping the rules as written. HSUS and GFAS were the two op- ponents. Among the 13 supporters were FAZA, ZAA, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Disney, and Two Tails Ranch. The original rules about elephant rides were instituted many years ago after an accident at Zoo Miami and there hasn’t been another incident in the entire state in 25+ years. It is also important to note that there are only SEVEN ride elephants registered and permitted to operate in the entire state of Florida. It is plain to see the de- liberately targeted position of the ARs in this situation. I’d like to thank Ms. Zerbini and Mr. Terranova for their firsthand accounts of the aforementioned meetings. Because of this we can be ready for when the decision comes to amend the rules as we will all be well informed of the agenda. Cooperation will be how we stay strong and prevail in the end.
JUNE 2019 | OABA ShowTime Magazine 25
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