Bill Description:
This bill would require the Animal Registration Agency of State Health Services to create and maintain a public information registry of all dangerous wild animals in the state. This registry must include personal and contact information for each owner, a description of each dangerous wild animal, and contact information for the local animal control authority. All facilities that may have the specified exotic animals are required to register, ensuring that there is no opportunity for gaps or loopholes in the compiled information. The Executive Commissioner of the Agency is also required to establish inspection and other enforcement actions, for which the Agency may charge fees.[teaserbreak]
Background:
Such rigorous state oversight is crucial for minimizing risk to both the public and captive exotic animals in Texas. Born Free USA knows this firsthand, as we operate a primate sanctuary near San Antonio. Roadside zoos and private individuals across the state imprison dangerous wild animals in appalling conditions that meet neither federal nor state regulations. These facilities get away with such conditions due to a fatal combination of poor federal enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act and ineffective state oversight.
Through the registration process proposed in H.B. 3952, the Agency will be able to identify, track, and monitor key exotic animals within the state, giving them the authority to investigate complaints of animal mistreatment and suspend or revoke registrations.
One concerning aspect of this legislation that it removes ocelot, bobcat, lynx, serval, caracal, coyote, and jackal from the list of dangerous wild animals, thereby narrowing the scope of registration requirements and exempting captive wild animals that undoubtedly need this oversight.
Take Action:
Texas residents, contact your state representative and urge him or her to support this legislation!
Read the full text and follow its progress here.