Ohio Falls

[EricWI]

Exotic animal regulations head to Ohio governor
By ANN SANNER


The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Legislation that would tighten regulations on owning exotic animals in Ohio was headed Tuesday to the governor for his expected signature, months after authorities were forced to shoot dozens of lions, tigers and other dangerous wildlife released from a farm last fall.

The measure would ban new ownership of exotic animals, while allowing current owners to keep their creatures by obtaining a new state-issued permit by 2014 and adhering to strict new caretaking standards.

Facilities accredited by some national zoo groups would be exempt from the bill, along with sanctuaries and research institutions.

Ohio's restrictions on exotic pets are among the nation's weakest. Efforts to strengthen the law took on new urgency after Terry Thompson released 50 animals — including black bears, mountain lions and Bengal tigers — from his eastern Ohio farm in Zanesville in October before he committed suicide. Authorities killed 48 of the animals as a public safety measure. Two others were believed to have been eaten by other animals.

The Ohio House passed the measure 87-9 with changes on Tuesday, and the Senate agreed to the revisions, which included lower permit fees and a lower minimum insurance requirement than the version senators passed last month.

Permit fees for bears, tigers and other dangerous animals would begin at $250. And insurance policies for the creatures could range from $200,000 to as high as $1 million, depending on the number of animals.

Owners would be required to pass a background check and show inspectors that they adhere to care standards and have taken safety measures such as fencing their property. Signs would have to be posted on the property to alert people there were dangerous animals on the premises.

The bill cleared the Legislature after hours of testimony from distraught owners who had lined up in hearings to express concerns about having to get rid of the family pet or pay too high of a price to keep it, among other issues.

The Columbus Zoo and the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation are among the measure's supporters.
www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/exotic-animal-regulations-head-1443711.html

 

[Ed Clark]

authorities were forced to shoot dozens of lions, tigers and other dangerous wildlife released from a farm last fall.

I think I would strongly consider supporting this bill in Ohio if I lived in a state with dangerous animals roaming loose,tighter regulation is clearly needed.

I can not see a small fee negatively impacting a family that keeps exotic pets,in Jersey we have regulations for keeping exotic pets(reptiles etc.) that require us to purchase a hobby permit $15.00 or an animal dealer permit for $100.00

 

[Pasodama]

I think I would strongly consider supporting this bill in Ohio if I lived in a state with dangerous animals roaming loose,tighter regulation is clearly needed.

We, in Ohio, do not live in a state where dangerous/exotic animals are roaming loose.
This case (in Zanesville) was ~one~ incident, with ~one~ individual (who was clearly not "all there"), where he set the ~caged~ animals free and, then, shot himself.
This is like saying that, just because one person (esp. with mental issues) does something idiotic, it means that every responsible person should be punished for it, or have their rights revoked, etc.
Makes no sense and is ludicrous.

 

[Ed Clark]

We, in Ohio, do not live in a state where dangerous/exotic animals are roaming loose.

it means that every responsible person should be punished for it, or have their rights revoked, etc.

The fact that the authorities had to come in and shoot roaming dangerous animals means that you do live in a state exactly like I described,if it happened one time it can happen again.

Don't get me wrong I am against most unneeded regulation,if Ohio does go with a permit system with a small fee it certainly is not punishment of any kind and I seriously doubt that anyone's rights will be revoked.a permit system is also a good way to track an out break of a disease knowing the transfer of animals from person-person.

 

[AbsoluteApril]

if it happened one time it can happen again.

so people should be punished for the bad actions of one person from a very isolated incident? (it's the only time I've ever heard of something like that happening..)

quick! let's put a warning label on coffee so people know it's hot!
oh wait...

 

[salottimc]

First off, why is my reptile more of a threat than someone's cat? Do you agree that people should have to purchase permits for their cats? After all, they wreak havoc on local ecosystems and are known carriers of rabies (which is fatal). What about dogs? Look up the statistics on them to determine the type of dangers they pose to the public. This bill was a waste of time and only punishes responsible owners. Just another example of government overstepping its bounds. Don't expect it to stop here...

 

[Ed Clark]

so people should be punished for the bad actions of one person from a very isolated incident? (it's the only time I've ever heard of something like that happening..)

Certainly not punish anyone,if a permit system is what they propose for anyone keeping exotic animals such as herps I can't see that ever being punishment.

quick! let's put a warning label on coffee so people know it's hot!
oh wait...

Hmm...well, McDonalds and numerous sellers of hot coffee have had to do just that.

 

[Ed Clark]

a very isolated incident? (it's the only time I've ever heard of something like that happening..)

A tiger was roaming loose here in Jersey put alot of people in that area in a panic.we have always had a permit system in place here.long story short they traced that tiger back to the woman that owned it revoked her permits and removed all her animals.public safety was the issue here,we all need to be safe regardless of 1 persons rights to keep dangerous animals.

 

[AbsoluteApril]

is it laid out how the permit system works? Is it $250 for each exotic? That is really going to impact people quite a bit if they have a lot. What happens when they have babies? Permit for each one? And having to get up to 1 million liability insurance is not cheap, most likely the typical home owners liability coverage under someone's property insurance is going to exclude animals, then people will need to get 'livestock' coverage which is not cheap by a long shot.

Government - protecting us from ourselves

 

[Ed Clark]

Here its 15.00 for a hobby permit you add as many herps as you want.if you breed to sell you pay $100.00 for the animal dealer permit.no additional costs.

Watch out for that hot coffee!

is it laid out how the permit system works? Is it $250 for each exotic? That is really going to impact people quite a bit if they have a lot. What happens when they have babies? Permit for each one? And having to get up to 1 million liability insurance is not cheap, most likely the typical home owners liability coverage under someone's property insurance is going to exclude animals, then people will need to get 'livestock' coverage which is not cheap by a long shot.

Government - protecting us from ourselves

 

[snakemansam]

Reduces liability insurance requirement to $200K (from $250K)
when party has five or fewer dangerous wild animals.

Changes application fee to $250 (from $500) for persons having
not more than three dangerous wild animals.
367-368 54-56 Changes application fee to $500 (from $1,000) for persons
having 4-10 dangerous wild animals.
369 57-59 Changes application fee to $1,000 (from $2,000) for persons
having 11-15 dangerous wild animals.
370 60-64 Changes application fee to $1,000 plus $125 per additional
animal over 15 for persons having more than 15 dangerous wild
animals.


Not quite the same is it Ed....the most dangerous part is they can add any animal any time with just a vote..no due process....Maybe Jersey will pass something like this and then add some lizards....not quite so funny is it Ed

 

[Ed Clark]

Not quite the same is it Ed....the most dangerous part is they can add any animal any time with just a vote..no due process....Maybe Jersey will pass something like this and then add some lizards....not quite so funny is it Ed

Not funny at all,sounds rather excessive.

 

[sschind]

Things like this are very controversial within the hobby. Its not like an all out ban which we all, for the most part are opposed to. Well, I guess in the long run it will be an all out ban because no permits for new animals will be issued but what I am referring to is a permit system in general that would allow new permits to be issued.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with requiring anyone wanting to own a bear or a lion to have to purchase a permit. I don't see anything wrong with requiring someone who wants to own an alligator or a reticulated python or a Nile monitor to have a permit. Where the problem comes in is where do you draw the line. Should it be a size limit? Should it depend on the number of exotics owned (an irresponsible owner with one animal is worse than a responsible one with 5 or 10 or 20) Should it be all exotics from the anaconda to the viper gecko? Of course part of the reason I don't see problems with permits is because I have no desire to own any of these "dangerous" animals. On the other hand, even if I did I don't think I would have a problem with permits. After all, I need a license for my dog (and he can't even drive)

My biggest beef with things like this is the intentionally vague wording that seems to be all too common with legislation like this. In my opinion if the government is going to tell us we can't own something we should know exactly what it is we can't own. If we are going to be required to have permits for animals we should know exactly what animals will require the permits. Terms like "exotic" and "dangerous" have no place in legislation like this. What is and is not allowed needs to be spelled out. If they want to regulate (ban, require permits for or whatever) pythons does that mean all pythons, children's and balls included, or just the big ones. The illegal stuff needs to be listed and new illegal stuff down the road should not be allowed simply at the whim of a few people. What is and is not allowed should not be open for interpretation.

I have not read the exact proposed legislation for Ohio but from the articles I've read here and on a few sites while doing a quick google search I am lead to believe that exotics means pretty much EVERYTHING. From lions and tigers and bears to pac man frogs, corn snakes and hedgehogs. I don't know if this is spelled out or if these fears are just the interpretations of some of the most paranoid people. Please don't be offended by my use of the word paranoid. If you in fact interpret the proposed legislation as a worst case scenario it just goes to prove my point about the vagueness of such legislation.

Anyway, back to the permits. I do not think they are unreasonable for certain animals but those animals need to be specified and the cost of the permits must not be too substantial. No one should have to pay anything to keep 1 or 2 or even a half a dozen leopard geckos but if you own a crocodile an anaconda and a tiger I don't see a problem with a $25.00 or $50.00 per year permit. Granted, I don't know what that $25.00 or $50.00 per year would accomplish.


I'll leave you with this final thought. Every single person who has ever committed a crime has already broken an existing law. Are MORE laws really the answer?

 

[Kodieh]

Not funny at all,sounds rather excessive.

I think the best honest example, which I think makes more of a fool out of you than your own words, is "If we outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns". Basically, what I'm saying is, how is it fair to ANYONE if you make it financially impossible to maintain a collection? Under this law, I would have to pay eight $250 "permits", and would have to establish a $1,000,000 liability insurance policy. We'll say, conservatively, that the MONTHLY fee for this insurance is ONLY $500.

So, 8 x 250 = $2,000.
Plus the $500 to begin the liability.
So, start up alone is $2,500. On top of all my other expenses for food and bedding. Then, thereafter, I would be paying $500 a month (On my, you know, $600 typical paycheck at the part time job I work to fund my hobby while I'm in school).

That's not very small or modest, is it?
But wait! I have till 2014 to get everything "in order"! Oh wait, I've got a couple snakes on payment plans because of tax refund. And, I planned on going to the next large scale reptile show to get a couple new genes to put into the pot. So, conservatively by my words, that's minimum four more "dangerous animals". So, another $1,000 to come up with by 2014.

You're an absolute moron if you think this bill establishes anything good. The only good in it is about a permit system, which yes I agree that we should have those so people don't just release them in the park, but this permit price is ridiculous.

 

[middyman717]

Here in pa we dont need permits for exotics! or none native to pa i have fallow deer no permit needed but if i keep whitetails i need a permit.if i keep lions or tigers/leopards ect! i need to have 2 years Experience working with big cats! they inspect my pens to get a permit !fact there are more people killed by whitetail bucks than big cats in pens its just so they can keep a eye on what you have ! Not for peoples safety if i do have permits for exotics whats to stop somthing from getting out of my pens or me just letting it go! its all B.S Any animal can be dangerous if i have pittbulls i have to regester them with the police here so they know i have a dangerous animal

 

[Dulaney's Cresties N More]

Ed Clark you are a moron and should keep you idiotic comments to your self. $250 per animal and $1,000,000 liability insurance is a little bit different then you $15 to $100 permit don't you think. And with there lack of specification to what is actually on this bill is more aggrivating then anything. They could put my cresties on there and cost me $2,000 for them per year since they are "exotic". The biggest problem with this issue is that most of these people that are deciding for us have probably ever seen half of the animals they are trying to ban, I am sure they know nothing about them, and are going off of hear say from people that are doing anything they can to take our animals out of our hands. Ed I would have no problem paying $100 a year for my animals but $250 each is absolutley redicilous. I think the funniest thing is there are exotic animals in 99% of the homes in the U.S. considering dogs and cats had to be imported into the country hundreds of years ago because there were none here to begin with!!!!!

 

[AbsoluteApril]

Warning: name calling is not allowed

 

[Ed Clark]

Ed Clark you are a moron and should keep you idiotic comments to your self.

Perhaps you would be better served taking your arguments to your Legislators and governor letting your feelings be known in a more positive manner than calling me names.

 

[middyman717]

if this ban goes thru in ohio and you owen exotic pets you wont be able to sell any exotic in ohio because you will have to put a number of each species you have and wont be able to sell to anyone in ohio with or without permits and certain cities animals wont be able to cross state lines and any cats with spots or stripes cant cross state lines! tigers/leopards/servals/ect they could pass a law if you have it you can keep it with permits but no breeding it! and dont say it cant happen ask some of the ranchers in texas and other states who have scimitar horned oryx /addax/and damma gazelles !

 

[mbm6]

The question is why does a person with a 20 ft retic need a permit? There is no real need to protect anyone in Ohio eight months a years they wouldn't last but a day outside.
There is no real danger no one is endangered by large snakes In Ohio. Why are other reptile owners of corn snakes or leopard geckos so quick to agree to permits? because it won't effect them not today anyhow. Your day will come. look at how many new silly laws are passed each year to "protect us" from what? this is just on other tax.

as for Terry Thompson there is much more to the story. ever wonder why a person with keys to cages would cut fencing and locks off of cages to let them go, instead of opening them with the keys, them commit suicide?

animals which he loved and cared for for years.
a lot of things don't add up unless you want to pass a law.

If the law required the same of dog owners ,which have caused far more injuries to humans in Ohio, as they do for snake owners, this bill would have failed and if passed every legislator would have been voted out of office.