The Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act Needs You!

Lions, Tigers, Bears and Elephants Need You Now!

Part Two

Friends, our big cat cousins as well as bears, elephants and other animals need us to speak out for them. Right now in the United States House of Representatives there is a bill H.R. 3359, the Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act.  H.R. 3359 is focused and a great step in the right direction to protect animals used for amusement.  We need to speak up and be heard to stop the abuse of our fellow living beings.

Contact your Member of Congress to Support the Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act

Here is a short video that shows what is happening to animals in the Circuses in the United States.

Warning! This video is heartbreaking.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/38133436[/vimeo]

H.R. 3359 was introduced to amend the Animal Welfare Act to restrict the use of exotic and non-domesticated animals in traveling circuses and exhibitions.

Here is part of the bill.

112TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION  H. R. 3359

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act’’. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that—

(1) traveling circuses are detrimental to animal welfare due to the adverse effects of captivity and transport;

(2) due to severe confinement, lack of free exercise, and the restriction of natural behaviors, animals used in circuses suffer and are prone to health, behavioral, and psychological problems;

(3) the tricks that exotic and non-domesticated animals are forced to perform require extreme physical coercion techniques, including the restriction of food, the use of elephant hooks (objects used to control and punish elephants), electric shocks, metal bars, whips, and other forms of physical abuse;

(4) the welfare of animals subject to the conditions in traveling circuses, such as constant travel, limited facilities, long periods of restriction of movement, stress, and physical coercion, will inevitably be compromised, which can lead to increased risks to public safety;

(5) animals in traveling circuses pose an additional risk to public safety because such animals have wild instincts and needs and have demonstrated unpredictability;

(6) the use of collapsible, temporary facilities in traveling circuses increases the risk of escaping exotic and non-domesticated animals seriously harming workers and the public

(7) traveling circuses bring people dangerously close to exotic and non-domesticated animals by displaying animals in inappropriate, uncontrolled areas that are not suited for the exhibition of such animals;

(8) it is not possible to provide exotic and non-domesticated animals with facilities sufficient to maintain the optimum physical and mental health of the animals because of the suffering caused to the animals by the nature of circuses, in which restric- tion of movement, separation from natural groupings, restriction of food and water, and physical abuse are prevalent;

(9) due to the mobile and transitory nature of traveling circuses, law enforcement authorities cannot properly monitor the conditions of the animals or follow up on previous infractions by traveling circuses; and

(10) restricting the use of exotic and non-domesticated animals in circuses is the most cost-effective and efficient way to safeguard both animal we fare and public safety.

To read H. R. 3359 in its entirety, click here.

Did you know that the lions and tigers are kept in these  small cages for days on end?

Please be the voice for animals by clicking here!

Thank you for caring for all animals, big and small.