Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is reopening the comment period on a regulatory petition submitted by animal protection organizations, including Born Free USA, to completely prohibit exhibitors from allowing members of the public to come into direct contact with dangerous wild animals.[teaserbreak]
According to Adam M. Roberts, CEO of Born Free USA, “We are heartened by the USDA’s ongoing attention to our petition, and believe this new comment period will uncover additional, robust scientific information justifying the strongest final language possible. Dangerous and cruel wildlife petting opportunities and photo sessions fuel a brutal cycle of breeding, exploiting, and ultimately dumping baby animals. This industry carelessly and greedily mistreats animals for profit, seriously endangers the public, fuels the exotic pet trade, and creates a deep burden for both law enforcement and wildlife sanctuaries, like those accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. We must end all public interaction with big cats, bears, and primates, once and for all.”
Today’s action follows a determination by the USDA in April 2016 that public contact with infant exotic cats violates the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), making clear that it is illegal for big cat cubs to be immediately pulled from their mothers after birth to be hand-reared and bottle-fed by members of the public. This is particularly risky for young animals, whose immune systems have yet to fully develop.
Just this week, the USDA cited Oswald’s Bear Ranch for violating the AWA when a sick bear cub scratched and infected a visitor who was permitted to have contact with the animal. Born Free USA’s Exotic Animal Incidents Database documents other tragedies resulting from public contact, including the death of 17-year-old Haley Hilderbrand of Kansas when she was attacked by a Siberian tiger during a photo-op for her high school senior portrait.
Roberts continued, “Infant animals should never be forcibly separated from their mothers and hauled around in a cage. People should no longer be misled about the immense safety risks associated with these exploitative interactions. Urgent and comprehensive regulatory reform to eliminate dangerous public contact with exotic animals is essential.”
Born Free USA is a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic “pets,” trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free USA brings to America the message of “compassionate conservation”: the vision of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film Born Free, along with their son, Will Travers. Born Free’s mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. More at www.bornfreeusa.org, www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa, and www.facebook.com/bornfreeusa.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203/270-8929, TheRodiCompany@gmail.com