Back in 2000, the Michigan Legislature passed a comprehensive act to regulate Large Carnivores. This includes lions, leopards, jaguars, tigers, cougars, panthers, cheetahs; and bears which are native or nonnative to Michigan. It covers both wild and captive bred members of these species.
It was intended to limit breeding of these animals to accredited zoos only. But there was a drafting error, and all breeding has been banned.
A simple fix to correct the error has eluded legislators for nearly 20 years. The bill now pending in the legislature is overly complicated, expands the facilities that can own, breed and transfer these animals, and sets up an onerous regulatory scheme.
HB 5778 is bad news for both animal welfare and human health and safety. Read our testimony that was submitted at the April 11, 2018
“The revisions open a Pandora’s box
by expanding the number of entities that can own, breed and transfer these large animals,
contrary to the intent of the original law.
This can have negative impact for both animal welfare and public health.
Its long list of requirements for the care and breeding of these animals
creates a smokescreen to disguise the fact that there would be fewer controls,
and more exemptions, should this bill become law. “
