Missouri State Senate Bill May Create Illegal Monopoly If Passed

    ST LOUIS, MO, February 9, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Missouri Senate is proposing a bill effecting exotic animals which is scheduled for a committee hearing on Tuesday February 10, 2009, that may create problems for exotic animal owners in the state and create an illegal monopoly within the state.

Senate Bill No. 227, sponsored by Senator Dempsey, modifies provisions relating to dangerous animal registration. According to the bill summary for SB 227, under current law, certain exotic animals may not be kept unless they are registered with local law enforcement exempting animals that are kept in a AZA accredited zoo, circus, scientific or educational institution, research laboratory, veterinary hospital or animal refuge. This act removes the exception for animal refuges. The act also adds the criteria that research laboratories and scientific and educational institutions must be accredited, veterinary hospitals must be permitted by the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board, and zoos must be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in order for the exemption to apply. The act specifies that the law enforcement agency responsible for receiving the registrations is the chief law enforcement official in each county or in the City of St. Louis, or his or her designee.

Any such exotic animal shall be registered within 5 days of being acquired or moved in to any county or the city of St. Louis. The act adds the requirement that registration of such animals must be renewed annually.

The chief law enforcement official in each county or in St. Louis is required to maintain the registry of exotic animals and make the registry available for disaster preparedness, emergencies, and to the general public via a website. The official can charge a registration fee to cover the administrative expenses associated with maintaining the registry not to exceed $50 for a first registration or $25 for a renewal registration. Animal refuges that operate as non-profit organizations are exempt from the fee provisions.

The act specifies the information that must be recorded as part of the animal's registration.

Any animal required to be registered under this act shall be identifiable by a microchip or other reliable identification device.

The act prohibits the bringing of any such exotic animal to a public, commercial or retail establishment unless it is a veterinarian or veterinary clinic. The animals shall not come into contact with anyone other than the owner, possessor, handler, or veterinarian.

A violation of the act is a Class A misdemeanor.

An exotic/alternative animal lobbying organization named UAPPEAL (Uniting A Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League) feels that SB227 will create an illegal monopoly in the state of Missouri by limiting the accreditation requirement to only one accrediting agency, the AZA, which is not a government agency but a private non-profit organization. According to sources at UAPPEAL, there are a few other accrediting organizations available such as the United States Zoological Association, UAPPEAL, and the Zoological Association of America who all have accrediting programs that are equal to or better than the AZA accreditation. "To limit the acceptance of only one accrediting agency creates an illegal monopoly," says Evelyn Shaw who is the State Legislation Director for UAPPEAL. "These other accrediting agencies should be accepted as alternatives to the AZA for the mandatory accreditation of these facilities," says Shaw.

While UAPPEAL sees a need for registration of exotic animals in MO, there is concern that the requirement for public access to this information about an animal owner and their location may draw attention from animal activists and put the owners and their animals in danger. "There have been incidents of vandalism from animal activists once they are aware of the location of these animals," says Shaw. Shaw also noted that making this information public can draw thrill seekers and children to the locations of these animals that have been legally and safely kept in privacy for many years.

SB 227 also states that no animal required to be registered under this law will be allowed to enter any public property or any commercial or retail establishment unless the owner is bringing the animal to a licensed veterinarian. Animals are not allowed to come into contact with anyone other than the owner, possessor, a registered designated handler, or a veterinarian. "This bill makes no exceptions for USDA licensed educators or exhibitors who, under federal law, are already allowed to take these animals to educational programs in schools and other commercial venues, as long as they follow federal guidelines. Education is crucial to preserving some species of exotic animals and without public awareness some of these species may become extinct," says Shaw. Shaw has concerns that this bill could cause some animal business in the state to "go belly up" causing an even larger hardship on an already failing economy.

Another concern is the fiscal impact this bill may have on the counties and cities that are mandated to keep this registry and the costs they will have to enforce it. "Even though owners must pay a yearly registration fee there still may be extra costs associated with the enforcement," says Shaw. There were no fiscal reports available for SB 227 at the time of this writing.

"Legislation aimed at the ownership of exotic animals, like this bill in Missouri, is being pushed through without any thought about where the animals will go if they can no longer be cared for by their owners. The refuges that are willing to accept animals are filling up and before long their will be no refuges for these animals to go to, especially if Missouri gets away with passing a monopolizing bill such as this one that even puts unnecessary demands on the refuges," says Nick Sculac of Serenity Springs Wildlife Sanctuary of Colorado.

Shaw stated that UAPPEAL, who has a professional lobbyist in Washington, is willing to help Missouri legislators write a bill that will protect ownership rights, address public safety concerns and the humane treatment of animals.

There is a committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday 2/10/2009 at 3:00 PM concerning Senate Bill 227. If you would like to voice your opposition to this bill, please call the members of the General Laws Committee which include; Senator Jack Goodman, Chairman-573-751-2234. Senator Scott Rupp, Vice Chairman-573-751-1282, Senator Dan Clemens, 573-751-4008, Senator Delbert Scott- 573-751-9-8793, Senator Carl Vogel, 573-751-2076

About UAPPEAL

UAPPEAL is a non profit orginization dedicated in fighting for the rights of animal owners everywhere. www.uappeal.org

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