Brooks Law Digest: Captive Wildlife

Wisconsin S.B. 563 would exempt farm-raised bovids (e.g., bison, buffalo, sheep, goats, antelope) from wildlife hunting restriction. The bill proposes to allow hunting of farm-raised bovids without a hunting license and would establish the same regulatory framework that is currently applicable to hunting farm-raised deer. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Sporting, Heritage, Small Business, and Rural Issues.

NMFS and NOAA has approved a request by SeaWorld Orlando to maintain two existing Guadalupe fur seals, with the option of acquiring as many as six for purposes of exhibition and species enhancement over the next five years.

A Nevada raptor breeder is seeking permission from the USFWS to augment his existing inventory by importing sixteen Verreaux’s eagle owls, twenty spectacled owls, and twenty-four boobook owls to further the long-term viability of captive populations. USFWS is accepting comments on the application through October 12, 2021.

New York Assembly Bill 8177 would prohibit zoos from administering psychoactive drugs to an animal in its care in order to allow another animal to procreate with the drugged animal. The bill was introduced in response to reports that a female gorilla named Johari was dosed with Prozac to allow a male gorilla to mate with her.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has proposed revisions to the requirements for research facilities and dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers for contingency planning and training of personnel. By lifting an internal stay that has been in place since 2013, the agency states the revisions “would better ensure that entities responsible for animals regulated under the Animal Welfare Act are prepared to safeguard the health and welfare of such animals in the event of possible emergencies or disasters.” The agency is accepting comments on the proposal until August 24, 2021.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law House Bill 1480 which will make it a misdemeanor if a person “intentionally releases, steals, destroys, or otherwise causes the loss of an animal or crop from an animal or crop facility without the consent of the owner;” “damages, vandalizes, or steals any property on or from an animal or crop facility;” “breaks and enters into an animal or crop facility with the intent to destroy or alter records, data, materials, equipment, animals, or crops;” or “enters or remains on an animal or crop facility with the intent to commit” any of the above listed acts.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law House Bill 1480 which will make it a misdemeanor if a person “intentionally releases, steals, destroys, or otherwise causes the loss of an animal or crop from an animal or crop facility without the consent of the owner;” “damages, vandalizes, or steals any property on or from an animal or crop facility;” “breaks and enters into an animal or crop facility with the intent to destroy or alter records, data, materials, equipment, animals, or crops;” “knowingly obtains control by theft or deception or asserts unauthorized control over any materials, equipment, animals, or crops of an animal or crop facility for the purpose of depriving the owner or operator of the facility or the facility of materials, equipment, animals, or crops;” or “enters or remains on an animal or crop facility with the intent to commit” any of the above listed acts.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has signed into law Senate Bill 925 which will prohibit the import, possession, and transport of “any specimen . . . including any part, product, or offspring thereof, or the dead body or parts thereof” of an “African elephant, African lion, African Leopard, black rhinoceros, white rhinoceros, or African giraffe.” The new law does not apply to ivory, zoos and circuses, and the production of television, motion pictures, or digital media.

Wisconsin Assembly Bill 341 would exempt facilities holding a “valid Class C exhibitor license issued by the United States Department of Agriculture” from state licensing requirements for captive wild animals. Such licensed exhibitors subsequently would not be bound by current state prohibitions on the “possession, exhibition, propagation, sale, and purchase of wild animals without a relevant license.”   

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 702 would create the offense of organizing, operating, or conducting contests or events where participants shoot or attempt to shoot live pigeons as targets––defined as “trap” or “block” shoots.