Animal owners across the country take heed: Six states are currently considering animal rights extremist-backed laws which would ban traveling exotic or non-native animal acts. This goes well beyond the vague wording in the proposed legislation, verbiage that could easily be interpreted to include rodeo animals, educational animal exhibits, fair animals and even animals raised by youth participating in 4-H and FFA.
The states where these proposed bans have been introduced include Connecticut, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington. Yet, the potential risk looms far beyond each state’s borders due to precedent that would be established if these egregious laws are passed. The worst part is the animal rights extremist agenda already has its foot in the proverbial door. It is no coincidence these proposed bans have similar language.
Clever Ordinances Used to Push Agenda
In January 2017, one of the most beloved animal-based American entertainment institutions in the nation’s history was effectively destroyed by animal rights extremists. After 142 years pleasing generations of Americans that attended its performances, Ringling Bros. Circus was forced to close following the elimination of its elephant acts in 2016. Elimination of the elephant acts resulted from bans sought by animal rights groups for specific, approved and accepted equipment used in elephant shows. These efforts, which were neither fact nor science based, combined with bans of traveling “exotic” animal shows similar to those being proposed today, doomed Ringling Bros Circus.
Shuttering “The Greatest Show on Earth” was widely publicized and animal rights extremist groups celebrated. Their “win” was much more significant than it may have seemed as it paved the way for today’s proposed state regulations. When Ringling Bros. ceased operations many Americans were saddened, angered, shocked and disappointed with animal rights extremist group antics that led to unnecessary destruction of an iconic American institution.
Strategic Overreach
Just as animal rights extremist groups harassed and litigated Ringling Bros. out of existence, their strategic, and targeted, attacks on a single company has since metastasized into a blizzard of proposed city, county and state laws. Bans on exotic or non-native (to a region) animals used in traveling shows have become increasingly common, with rhetoric by animal rights extremist groups focusing on so-called “animal protection” laws to prevent abuse, all-the-while selling their ideology to the public. What is never disclosed to voters by animal rights extremist groups is that there are numerous existing laws in place, some for years or decades, protecting animals from abuse. Many states also have laws specifically covering animals categorized as “dangerous.”
It is alarming the bans being proposed include educational outreach programs and any instance where a non-native animal would be observed in any public setting. Given that most species of domestic livestock and pets are not native to the U.S., you can see the egregious nature of their proposed overreach. Placing these proposals into context, the way these bans are worded would directly, and adversely, impact petting zoos, classroom pets, 4-H and FFA livestock exhibitions, horse shows, rodeos, dog and cat shows and many other activities involving animals.
As illogical as these bans might seem, let’s take a look at the laws currently being proposed in Illinois, as one example. The law, as currently worded, would make it a crime to transport any non-native animal to then be viewed by the public. The end goal of animal rights extremists is to prevent you from having any animal interactions, including exhibiting your own animal(s), watching summer Olympic equestrian events, or even enjoying favorite foods, such as a grilled cheeseburger, bacon, chicken tenders, eggs, milk, etc.
The U.S. Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) wrote this regarding the proposed Illinois ban, providing us with an eye-opening glimpse into the animal rights extremist mentality and goals:
“This bill bans much more than lions jumping through rings of fire. It is a ban on taking a Greek tortoise into a classroom for an educational program about reptiles. It is a ban on taking a ball python, a red-eyed tree frog, a parakeet, and a hedgehog into a library for an educational show discussing the differences between reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals. It is a ban on llamas, and any other non-traditional livestock at the State Fair or county 4-H fairs. You could receive a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for taking a leopard gecko into your child’s classroom for a presentation.”
Together, We Can Prevent Animal Rights Extremist Ideology from Ruining America!
Is this the kind of reality we are going to allow? Are we really going to permit a small, yet vocal, group of animal rights extremist malcontents to destroy the many mutually beneficial human-animal relationships? These types of experiences with animals have taught, inspired and enriched, humanity since the beginning of time, and now they are being criminalized.
Though the proposed bans are spread across a number of states, it is the same animal rights extremist network promoting all of them. The animal rights extremist movement does not rest and neither should we. Protect The Harvest remains vigilant, and we urge you to express your point of view at public meetings on these topics.
Read the full bills via the links below.
Connecticut HB 5123: HERE
Illinois HB3695: HERE
New Mexico SB0134: HERE
Oregon HB 3214: HERE
Rhode Island H5703: HERE
Washington SB5148: HERE
Washington HB1157: HERE
