NOTE: AB 333/ SB 241 IS DEAD FOR THIS WI STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. It passed out of committee in the Senate but failed to advance, leaving Wisconsin still one of five states with little to no regulation of exotic species.

We will try again next legislative session.

On 20 January 2016, Sen. Wanggaard introduced an amendement to SB 241 similar to LRBa0786/P2 (link below), which in effect would exempt USDA license holders and ZAA members from the bill, as well as removing the ban on public contact. The new amendment would ALSO remove crocodillians from the list of prohibited animals. (Read Senate Amendment 1 here). The Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection is considering a similar amendment similar amendment. These amendments significantly WEAKEN this legislation!

The WI Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety will be voting on this bill on 27 January. PLEASE contact Committee members (see below), particularly if you are one of their constituents, and request them to pass AB 333/ SB 241 out of their respective committees AS WRITTEN, without these amendments!

    Senate Amendment 1   

    LRBa0786/P2, Proposed Amendment to SB 241   

    Find your WI State Representatives   

Why We Object to the Proposed Amendments:

The proposed amendment to AB 333, similar to the proposed LRBa0786/P2 to SB 241, would defeat the bill’s purpose by adding unacceptable exemptions for Zoological Association of America (ZAA) members and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)- licensed facilities, while removing an important prohibition on public contact with animals such as tigers, lions, bears, and chimpanzees! (See below for AB 333/ SB 241 history, summary, fiscal estimate, and talking points).

• USDA EXEMPTION: Exempting USDA licensees severely weakens AB 333/ SB 241 and essentially renders the bills ineffective. Even the federal government acknowledges that state exotic pets laws which exempt USDA licensees provide a loophole for pet owners as these licenses are easily obtained but difficult for the agency to revoke. Licenses are automatically renewed every year, even when a licensee has had serious and/or repeated AWA violations. Quite aside from that, we know from experience with the Dog Seller Law that USDA minimum standards of care, though better than nothing, are still woefully inadequate from the humane standpoint. And the USDA still only has 126 inspectors for more than 10,433 licensed facilities!
       The HSUS has proposed an alternative amendment that would essentially grandfather all existing USDA licensees that currently exhibit dangerous exotic species. This would mitigate opposition to SB 241 by a number of private owners and organizations that testified at the senate committee hearing.

• ZAA EXEMPTION: The deceptively-named Zoological Association of America (ZAA) has NO affiliation with the highly respected Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The ZAA's weak standards promote the private ownership of exotic pets and poorly run roadside zoos, traveling zoos, and private menagerie. Despite threats to public safety and animal welfare, ZAA standards allow public contact with dangerous wild animals, including 90-pound bears, tiger and lion cubs, and chimpanzees and orangutans. ZAA’s vague and inadequate accreditation standards allow conditions that were common at zoos 30 or 40 years ago, but which are totally inconsistent with modern animal care practices.Attempts to exempt ZAA facilities from state dangerous wild animal laws were defeated in California, Louisiana, Michigan, Texas, and Clark County, Nevada. We can and must defeat them here in Wisconsin, also!

• NO PUBLIC CONTACT BAN: Allowing public contact with dangerous wild animals is unsafe for the public, harmful to animals, and leads to excessive breeding of animals such as tigers to ensure a steady supply of cubs are available for petting, handling, and photo sessions. States that allow public contact with animals such as tigers typically have higher captive populations of these animals due to constant breeding, which increases the risk of attacks and escapes and puts first responders in grave danger. This activity, which is opposed by experts, also results in malnourished, unhealthy animals who are subjected to stress, maternal deprivation, and physical abuse.

    LRBa0786/P2, Proposed Amendment to SB 241   

    Fact Sheet on Proposed Amendment LRBa0786/P2 to SB 241 (pdf)   

PLEASE respectfully request committee members to REJECT draft amendment LRBa0786/P2 and its Assembly counterpart and SUPPORT SB 241/ AB 333 as introduced, especially if you are among their constituents!

    Committee on Consumer Protection   

    Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety   

    Summary of SB 241/AB 333      Full Bill Text      Fiscal Estimate (PDF)   

    SB 241 Bill History      AB 333 Bill History      Talking Points   

    LRBa0786/P2, Proposed Amendment to SB 241   

    Fact Sheet on the need for Exotic Animal Regulation (pdf)   

    Fact Sheet on Proposed Amendment LRBa0786/P2 to SB 241 (pdf)   

     Lions and tigers and bears, in Wisconsin? Oh MY! Also, chimpanzees, alligators, crocodiles, and many other types of non- native wildlife that should NOT be kept as pets -- but are. No matter how cute and cuddly and friendly the animals seem, these so-called "exotics" are still WILD animals. Keeping them as pets may cause not only a hardship for the animals, but also a potential danger to owners and unsuspecting WI citizens.

      Senator Van Wanggaard, representing Wisconsin's 21st Senate District, has authored a bill to restrict the private possession of dangerous non-native ("exotic") wild animal species in Wisconsin.

     SB 241 was introduced into the Wisconsin State Legislature on 26 August 2015 by Senators Wanggaard, Risser, Miller, Lassa and C. Larson; and cosponsored by Representatives Kerkman, Edming, Spiros, Kremer, Stuck, Novak, Subeck, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Thiesfeldt, Murphy, Ohnstad, Hintz, Genrich, A. Ott and Kitchens. (Representative Heaton was added as a cosponsor on 9/9/2015.) It was read the first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

    Summary of SB 241      Full Bill Text   

    Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety   

     A "companion bill," AB 333, was introduced into the Wisconsin State Assembly on 10 September 2015 by Representatives Kerkman, Edming, Spiros, Kremer, Stuck, Novak, Subeck, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Thiesfeldt, Murphy, Ohnstad, Hintz, Genrich, A. Ott, Kitchens, Brandtjen and Heaton; and cosponsored by Senators Wanggaard, Risser, Miller, Lassa and C. Larson. It was read the first time and referred to Committee on Consumer Protection.

    Summary of SB 241/AB 333      Full Bill Text, AB 333   

    Committee on Consumer Protection   

      Please contact your WISCONSIN state representatives (see link below to find your WI representatives ). Ask them to SUPPORT SB 241/ AB 333, which make changes to the laws relating to the possession of certain wild animals and thus will regulate the ownership of non-native or "exotic" wild animals as pets. (Read the entire bill (pdf))

     Try to keep your message brief, and be sure to give your name, address, and phone number. Please, ALWAYS be polite and respectful. Name-calling, and rude or abusive letters or emails will hurt, rather than help, our cause.

    Find your WI State Representatives   

    Summary of SB 241/AB 333      Full Bill Text      Fiscal Estimate (PDF)   

    SB 241 Bill History      AB 333 Bill History      Talking Points   

Talking Points:

• According to the sponsorship memo curculated by Sen. Wanggaard:

  • "Currently, Wisconsin is one of only five states that does not have a state law regulating the private possession of dangerous wild animals. Individuals can possess these dangerous animals often at the expense of taxpayers. Police, animal control, and other emergency personnel that respond in such cases are forced to utilize their already limited resources. These animals pose a significant threat to the safety of Wisconsin residents.

  • "Unfortunately the current incident [of a possible lion at large] in Milwaukee is just one of many dangerous instances that have occurred in Wisconsin. Recently in Kenosha, law enforcement were called to a scene and eventually removed five rattlesnakes, a crocodile, two alligators, and a poisonous gila monster from a house.

  • Under the bill, private possession, sale, and propagation of exotic animals including lions, tigers, . . . brown bears, . . . chimpanzees, alligators, and crocodiles is prohibited. People who currently possess these species can keep them until the animals die [emphasis added], but they will not be allowed to acquire additional dangerous exotic animals. Certain zoos, veterinarians, and other reasonable institutions are also exempt from this prohibition.

  • "This is common sense legislation that will keep citizens, law enforcement, and emergency responders safe. It has received widespread support from a coalition comprised of: Wisconsin Professional Police Association, League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Wisconsin Realtors Association, Wisconsin Animal Control Association, Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies, and Association of Zoos and Aquariums."

• Wisconsin is one of only five states in the country that does not regulate or requre licensing for the possession of certain wild animals.

• These animals have very specific needs for food, housing, exercise, and veterinary care that few citizens can adequately provide. Many are kept in inhumane and abusive conditions and suffer needlessly though lack of proper care.

• Wild animals can be dangerous. They are not pets.

• While adorable and appealining when young, these species grow to be unmanageable for most people and often endup abandoned, released, or "warehoused" in substandard facilities.

• The release or escape of wild animals is a danger and burden on law enforcement and to humane organizations.

• Humane societies and animal shelters in Wisconsin do not have the resources to care for these types of animals when they become homeless, abandoned, or escape.

SB 241 / AB 333 Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

(Note: Emphasis is ours)

     This bill makes changes to the laws relating to the possession of certain wild animals.

     Under current law, known as the captive wildlife law, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates the possession of, and other activities related to, certain wild animals. Generally under current law, a person may not possess a wild animal that is native to Wisconsin without a license from DNR. There are exceptions to this prohibition for some animals, including chipmunks, mice, pigeons, and voles. Certain entities may possess wild animals without a license from DNR, including veterinarians, zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, municipal zoos, and circuses.

     Generally, the captive wildlife law does not require a person to have a license from DNR to possess a wild animal that is not native to Wisconsin, such as a lion, unless the animal is endangered or threatened and native to the United States or Canada or is a harmful wild animal. Under the statutes, cougars, wild and feral swine, and bears, including nonnative bears, are harmful wild animals. The law authorizes DNR to designate other wild animals that satisfy specified criteria as harmful wild animals. DNR has designated mute swans and wolf-dog hybrids as harmful wild animals. Generally, a person may not possess, exhibit, propagate, sell, or purchase a harmful wild animal without specific authorization in a license issued by DNR.

     The captive wildlife law also authorizes a city, village, town, or county to enact an ordinance that prohibits the possession of wild animals.

     This bill generally prohibits the possession, propagation, and sale of dangerous exotic animals. Under the bill, dangerous exotic animals are nonnative big cats, including lions and tigers; nonnative bears, including brown bears and polar bears; apes, including gorillas, chimpanzees, and gibbons; and crocodilians, including alligators, crocodiles, and caimans. Certain entities are exempt from the prohibitions, including veterinarians, accredited zoos, municipal zoos, circuses, federally licensed research facilities, and wildlife sanctuaries. The bill authorizes a person who does not qualify for an exemption but who owns a dangerous exotic animal when the bill takes effect to continue to possess the animal if the person registers the animal with the municipality in which the person keeps the animal.

     The bill prohibits a person from allowing a member of the public to come into direct contact with a dangerous exotic animal and requires the owner of a dangerous exotic animal to inform local law enforcement if the animal escapes. The bill also authorizes a city, village, town, or county to enact an ordinance relating to dangerous exotic animals if the ordinance is at least as strict as the provisions in the bill relating to dangerous exotic animals.

     In addition, the bill eliminates DNR’s authority, under the captive wildlife law, to regulate dangerous exotic animals, including nonnative bears, as harmful wild animals.

    Read the entire bill (pdf)   

    Summary of SB 241/AB 333      Full Bill Text      Fiscal Estimate (PDF)   

    SB 241 Bill History      AB 333 Bill History      Talking Points   

    Find your WI State Representatives   

We appreciate that there are some people who consider their "exotic" pets as one of the family, just as dog or cat owners do. Under Sen. Wanggaard's bill, they would be allowed to keep their pets.

Even responsible owners of "exotics," however, must acknowledge that these wild animals may pose a danger to other animals and to humans, and take precautions to protect the "exotic," other household pets, their family members, and anyone else who might come in contact with the "exotic."