Exotic Animal Ban Considered in Ohio

State Senator Troy Balderson, a Zanesville Republican, has introduced legislation that would ban new ownership of exotic animals. Current owners of lions, tigers and other large animals would face new requirements, such as obtaining a special permit, stronger cages, microchipping animals, and obtaining insurance. Also, convicted felons would not be allowed to obtain the special permits for exotic animal ownership.

The Zanesville man (Terry Thompson) who set his large exotic animals free before committing suicide, would not have been allowed to own them if Balderson’s legislation had been in effect because he was a felon and would not have passed the background check. His actions led to the deaths of many large predators, some of which were endangered, including 18 Bengal tigers. (Only about 2,500 of them are left in the wild and they are in a decline.) At his farm, Thompson reportedly only had fencing three feet high. The new bill would require exotic animal owners to have fences eight feet high.

If the bill passes, zoos, circuses, sanctuaries and research facilities would not be affected. One potential issue with the proposed legislation is the legal definition of a sanctuary. Some exotic animal owners have tried to skirt the law by calling their personal property a sanctuary in order to keep large exotic animals.

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Image Credit: Brian Gratwicke

Read more: Animal Rights, Conscious Consumer, Pets

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Natasha S.

10:22AM PDT on Mar 29, 2013

Make this a universal ban,not just in 1 state or in 1 country but everywhere. Please.

March 29
send a green star

Halle B.

3:50PM PST on Feb 9, 2013

Ownership of exotic animals should be banned everywhere! These animals should roam free in their natural habitat instead of living in captivity :)

February 9
send a green star

Phyl M.

9:12AM PST on Jan 31, 2013

Ownership of exotic animals MUST be BANNED everywhere.

January 31
send a green star

Nirvana J.

8:32PM PST on Jan 29, 2013

It's always been beyond me that people would cage up exotics!

January 29
send a green star

Amy L.

2:57PM PST on Jan 28, 2013

The ban needs to be in every state not just Ohio.

January 28
send a green star

Ruth M.

8:35AM PST on Nov 9, 2012

They need to ban ownership of exotic animals everywhere

November 9
send a green star

Danuta W.

1:02AM PST on Nov 9, 2012

Very interesting. Thanks for the post.

Christine S.

5:34PM PDT on Aug 20, 2012

The sad part is, all these animals now need to find other sanctuaries that can take them in! Life in a crappy cage in Ohio is surely not great- but what is to be done if there are no good sanctuaries that have room for more?