Update: Terrific news! This bill passed both the House and Senate, and the Governor signed it into law on April 30, 2007.
Bill Description: If passed, this legislation will ban the future private possession of dangerous wild animals as “pets,” including elephants, lions and other large wild cats, wolves, bears, non-human primates, and venomous snakes. Persons possessing a dangerous wild animal prior to the effective date of the act would be allowed to keep the animal. Dangerous wild animals possessed in violation of the law would be subject to confiscation. The animals also could be confiscated if they pose a public safety risk. Violators of the law would face a civil penalty. The bill does not apply to accredited zoos, animal shelters, animal control, wildlife rehabilitators, accredited wildlife sanctuaries, and circuses.
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Dangerous wild animals belong in their natural habitat and not in the hands of private individuals as “pets.” By their very nature, these animals are potentially dangerous and do not adjust well to a captive environment. Across the country, many incidents have been reported where exotic animals held in private hands have attacked humans and other animals, or have escaped from their enclosures and freely roamed the community. The American Veterinary Medical Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all oppose private possession of certain dangerous wild animals.