Exotic animal owner blasts Strickland, Humane Society
Frazeysburg breeder and exotic animal owner is upset with Gov. Strickland and U.S. Humane Society
FRAZEYSBURG -- Keith Campbell can't keep the smile off his face as he pets one of the foxes he owns, Smoky, on his stomach.
Now Campbell, 43, owner of Hillview Exotics outside in Frazeysburg just inside the Coshocton County line, is furious Gov. Ted Strickland, the Ohio Farm Bureau and the U.S. Humane Society is trying to tell him what animal he can, or cannot, own.
Campbell raises foxes, raccoons, turkeys and gamebirds and said he takes great pride in owning and raising exotic animals, all of which meet state and federal guidelines in housing and care.
"Now the U.S. Humane Society is trying to slide in legislation on us that is going to govern what we do," Campbell said. "They're trying to make us all give up our animals, no matter what. And soon, that's going to include cats and dogs. Those of us who own animals don't want to be dictated to by those who don't or don't want to own animals."
AGREEMENT TO REMOVE THE U.S. HUMANE SOCIETY BALLOT INITIATIVE
The agreement, reached June 30, has recommendations that will be made to the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, or OLCSB, relating to a variety of issues that include a ban on veal crates, a ban on strangulation of farm animals, a ban on the transport of downer cattle for slaughter, enactment of legislation establishing felony-level penalties for cockfighters, legislation cracking down on puppy mills and the enactment of a ban on the acquisition of dangerous exotic animals as pets such as primates, bears, lions, tigers, large constricting and venomous snakes, crocodiles and alligators.
As a result of the agreement, the USHS will not pursue a ballot initiative this fall.
"This agreement represents a joint effort to find common ground. As a result, Ohio agriculture will remain strong, and animals will be treated better," said Strickland in a press release.
Strickland said the agreement preserves the integrity of the Ohio Livestock Animal Care Standards Board and provides meaningful recommendations on animal welfare and animal care standards. It has the support of Ohioans for Livestock Care Steering Committee, which is made up of poultry, pork, dairy, beef, corn and soybean associations and the Ohio Farm Bureau.
The agreement is unique, Strickland said, in that it also addresses regulations on dog breeding kennels, cockfighting and dangerous and exotic animals.
Last fall Ohio voters passed Issue 2, which brought about the creation of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to address the issues raised by the USHS.
CONCERNS OF EXOTIC ANIMAL OWNERS AND BREEDERS
Now, Campbell said the USHS is looking to take over the board and push its own ideas and beliefs onto pet owners, farmers, exotic animal owners and breeders.
Campbell has been raising exotic birds and mammals for the past four years after retiring from the U.S. Air Force and does so "because I've always wanted animals since I was a kid.
"And because I can," Campbell adds with a smile. "I enjoy it."
Campbell said the agreement is just a stepping stone for the USHS to rid the U.S. of all animal ownership.
"They don't want you to own anything," Campbell said. "Especially an exotic animal."
According to a letter from Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the USHS, the agreement is a "win-win" situation for everyone.
Pacelle calls the agreement a "broad array of very meaningful animal welfare reforms."
"Ohio is now on track to go from having some of the weakest animal welfare laws in the nation to being a state with much stronger protection for animals," Pacelle said in a letter posted on the Ohioans for Humane Farms.
But Campbell and dog breeder Denise Tessum, of Vincent in Washington County, also are concerned the agreement and recommendations are going to slip into the legitimate breeding world as well.
"I'm very upset by it," Tessum said. "We're a very
reputable breeder, and there are enough laws out there to put puppy mills out of business easily, if they were only enforced. We don't need new laws, we need to enforce the ones we have."
Tessum believes Strickland compromised with the USHS, giving it a lot more
power than it should have.
"If you look, you'll find the national group really has little to do with the groups in our counties here in Ohio," Tessum said. "It's confusing because they say they're 'The' Humane Society, but in reality, they're not. They're a group of people who don't want anyone owning an animal."
Tessum said puppy mills give legitimate breeders a bad reputation.
"I also blame the people who buy a puppy from one of these mills," Tessum said. "The buyers should also be held
responsible. They're who are keeping the mills in business. These people see a cute puppy for what they consider to be the right price and they buy it. The next thing they know, the puppy is sick or has something wrong with it and they wonder why."
Tessum said legit breeders are passionate about their animals and love what they do.
"We take
responsibility for each and every puppy that is born here," Tessum said. "We have a natural environment, which the humane society doesn't like. Our puppies and dogs run with each other and we don't have fights or other issues with the dogs. We have a well-balanced community of dogs and that's the way it should be. But the humane society, who has mostly people who don't know anything about raising or breeding an animal, say they are the only ones who should be allowed to regulate us."
WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE STATE?
Brent Porteus, the president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and a Coshocton farmer, said his organization has nothing to do with the exotic animal issue and is concerned about keeping food production available in Ohio.
"We want what is good for Ohioans," Porteus said. "We want to protect the process voters put in place last fall by establishing the board and let experts make the decisions."
Porteus said he is pleased with the agreement and that it protects the integrity of the board and allows animal care protections to be implemented.
"The U.S. Humane Society agreed to back off," Porteus said. "They agreed to let Ohioans make their own decisions. That's very positive. They have also agreed to help
fund research. That's very good. It used to be their way or the highway."
Porteus said the agreement centered around veal crates, poultry cages, swine stalls and those exotics that are considered dangerous. Karen Minton, a spokeswoman for the USHS in Ohio, said she was hesitant to say too much about the agreement because Strickland would be the one issuing an actual order and the exact language has not been drafted. However, she said the
focus of her organization is not on breeders.
"We're focusing more on those individuals who own or sell wild and dangerous animals," Minton said. "These animals are not
safe for people to be around.
"People think it's cute to own a small alligator or lion," Minton said. "Ohio has such lax laws when it comes to exotic animals. They go and buy an animal and then the animal grows up. It becomes dangerous because it is a wild animal, just one that has been raised in captivity. Now the owner doesn't know what to do with it because they can't handle it. Those animals are extremely difficult to find other homes for. Where does the person go from there? That's the issue."
Puppy mills always have been a target of her organization, Minton said.
"We do go after the mills that are breeding hundreds and hundreds of dogs in unsafe and unsanitary conditions," Minton said. "But our focus is not on legit breeders. Good breeders will not be affected by this."
Porteus, who said he wasn't really sure what a puppy mill is, did agree with Minton that Ohio has very good breeders who should not be affected.
"I know lots of breeders out there and they're wonderful," Porteus said.
AGREEMENT COULD AFFECT ALL ANIMALS
Campbell, who loves to play with the foxes he has raised from babies, said he doesn't believe the humane society or the farm bureau has his best interests in mind.
"I think they want to get rid of us," Campbell said, as he pet Amadeus, a 1-year-old white fox.
Campbell thinks this agreement opens the door to censorship of all animals.
Watching two Arctic foxes, Rex and Reva, sprint back and forth in their large cage, Campbell frowns and said he's been harassed in the past by those representing animal rights groups.
"I had to put up an electric fence to keep them out because I'm afraid they'll come and try and take some of my animals."
Campbell said exotic pet owners aren't irresponsible.
"We take care of the animals that are being pushed out of their own environment," Campbell said. "This world is a huge declining wildlife area with its deforestation, and we're giving them a place to stay where they're protected and guaranteed food and shelter. I want to protect what I can."
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