[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 128 (Thursday, October 3, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9905-S9906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. JEFFORDS (for himself and Mr. Smith of New Hampshire):
  S. 3038. A bill to amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to further 
the conservation of certain wildlife species; to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President I rise today with Senator Smith of New 
Hampshire to introduce the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, a firm 
commitment to protect public safety and the welfare of wild cats that 
are increasingly being kept as pets.
  Current figures estimate that there are more than 5,000 tigers in 
captivity in the United States. In fact, there are more tigers in 
captivity in the United States than there are in native habitats 
throughout the range in Asia. While some tigers are kept in zoos, most 
of these animals are kept as pets, living in cages behind someone's 
house, in a State that does not restrict private ownership of dangerous 
animals. Tigers are not the only animals sought as exotic pets. Today 
there are more than 1,000 web sites that specialize in the trade of 
lions, cougars, and leopards to promote them as domestic pets.
  Untrained owners are simply not capable of meeting the needs of these 
animals. Local veterinarians, animal shelters, and local governments 
are ill equipped to meet the challenge of providing for their proper 
care. If they are to be kept in captivity, these animals must be cared 
for by trained professionals who can meet their behavioral, 
nutritional, and physical needs.
  People who live near these animals are also in real danger. These 
cats are large and powerful animals, capable of injuring or killing 
innocent people. There are countless stories of many unfortunate and 
unnecessary incidents where dangerous exotic cats have endangered 
public safety. last year in Lexington, TX, a three-year-old boy was 
killed by his stepfather's pet tiger. In Loxahatchee, FL, this past 
February, a 58 year-old woman was bitten on the head by a 750 pound 
Siberian-Bengal Tiger being kept as a pet. Just last month in Quitman, 
AR, four 600 to 800 pound tigers escaped from a ``private safari.'' 
Parents living nearby sat in their own front yards with high-powered 
rifles scared that the wild lions might hurt their children playing the 
front yard.
  The bill I introduce today would amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 
1981 and bar the interstate and foreign commerce of carnivorous wild 
cats, including lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and cougars. The 
legislation would not ban all private ownership of these prohibited 
species. It would outlaw the commerce of these animals for use as pets.
  This is a balanced approach that preserves the rights of those 
entities already regulated by the Department of Agriculture under the 
Animal Welfare Act such as circuses, zoos, and research facilities. 
This Act specifically targets unregulated and untrained individuals who 
are maintaining these wild cats as exotic pets.
  This bill also preserves the importance of local regulations already 
in existence. I sincerely hope that grass roots level organizing 
continues to direct State and local governments to increase the number 
of States and counties that ban private ownership of exotic cats. Full 
bans are already in place in 12 States and partial bans have been 
enacted in 7 States.
  No one should be endangered by those who cannot properly keep these 
animals. Those exotic cats who are in captivity should be able to live 
humanely and healthfully.
  The Captive Wildlife Safety Act represents an emerging consensus on 
the need for comprehensive federal legislation to regulate what animals 
can be kept as pets. The United States Department of agriculture 
states, ``Large wild and exotic cats such as lions, tigers, cougars, 
and leopards are dangerous animals . . . Because of these animals' 
potential to kill or severely injure both people and other animals, an 
untrained person should not keep them as pets. Doing so poses serious 
risks to family, friends, neighbors, and the general public. Even an 
animal that can be friendly and lovable can be very dangerous.''
  The American Veterinary Medical Association also ``strongly opposes 
the keeping of wild carnivore species of animals as pets and believes 
that all commercial traffic of these animals for such purpose should be 
prohibited.''
  The Captive Wildlife Safety Act is supported by the Association of 
Zoos

[[Page S9906]]

and Aquariums, the Humane Society of the United States, the Fund for 
Animals, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
  I ask my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and look forward to 
working with our partners in the House who have expressed interest in 
passing this bill into law by the end of this session.
                                 ______