Question of the Month
December
2005
What
states in the region have legislation regarding the possession and
captivity of wild animals?
Kept as "exotic pets," wild
animals can pose a danger to both their owner and the public at large,
as news stories in the past about mauling incidents illustrate.
Animal-rights advocates say these animals suffer as well, either
because they simply don’t adjust well to captivity or because they
sometimes are malnourished or kept in cramped quarters.
Federal, state and local laws offer
some protections for the animals and, in some instances, minimal
oversight of the owners.
According to the Animal Protection
Institute, most legislation related to the possession of wild or
exotic species is generated at the state level. The federal government
primarily regulates the importation and interstate transportation of
wild animals while also setting some minimal care and treatment
standards.
According to the institute, 37 states
currently have some legislation in place to control the sale,
possession and use of captive wild animals. These statutes fall into
three broad categories — prohibition, partial prohibition and
regulation.
Animals covered by these laws include
large cats, bears, wolves, dangerous reptiles such as alligators and
crocodiles, and nonhuman primates. Fifteen states (none in the
Midwest) prohibit the possession of these, and sometimes other,
animals. Nine states, including Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota
and Nebraska, have partial prohibitions in place. In some
states, such as Illinois, possession of many of the aforementioned
animals is banned, while in other states, ownership of only a few of
these animal types is prohibited.
These states also have regulations in
place, such as barring owners from releasing the captive animals into
the wild.
Other states have regulations, but no
prohibitions, against keeping wild animals as pets. Indiana, North
Dakota and South Dakota are among the 13 U.S. states that
require the owner to obtain a license or permit from a state agency.
Iowa,
Kansas, Ohio and Wisconsin are among the 13
states that have few, if any, regulations in place. While Kansas
exercises some regulatory authority over a limited number of animals,
these states generally have, at most, "entry permit"
requirements or expect a check of the animal by a veterinarian.
More information is available on the
Animal Protection Institute Web site, www.api4animals.org.
For
more information on this or any other public policy issue, please call
630-925-1922 or complete the online
form for research services.
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