Update: This bill failed to pass.
Bill Description: If passed, this legislation would create a state non-native animal regulation board to identify domestic and exotic animal species that threaten public health and safety, endanger wildlife or livestock, or could injure certain industries. The legislation would allow the seizure of animals that threaten the health and safety of humans or other animals if the proper procedures are followed. Those who sell these animals commercially would be required to register with the state. Finally, the board would establish standards for the breeding and possession of non-native and dangerous animals.
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Dangerous wild animals by their very nature do not adjust well to a captive environment. Across the country, many incidents have been reported where exotic animals held in private hands have attacked humans and other animals, or have escaped from their enclosure and roamed the community. One such incident occurred in Huntington, WV, in May 2005, when a 13-year-old girl was injured when a Capuchin monkey bit her kneecap and finger. As such, these animals pose public safety and public health risks.