Since the passing of SB310 in Ohio exotic animal owners have until January 1, 2014 to be in full compliance with all requirements listed within. The expense of many requirements are causing some to relinquish their animals now. Two animals, a serval and a black bear, were recently moved to the Indiana sanctuary "Black Pine Animal Sanctuary" in Albion, Indiana. Previously, Black Pine took in four tigers from an Ohio owner and still soliciting donations for their acquisition.
Some of the requirements as per SB310 are excessive and have no bearing on properly keeping the animal, nor on keeping the public safe:
(C) An applicant shall submit one of the following fees, as applicable, with an application:
(1) Two hundred fifty dollars if the applicant possesses not more than three dangerous wild animals;
(2) Five hundred dollars if the applicant possesses at least four, but not more than ten dangerous wild animals;
(3) One thousand dollars if the applicant possesses at least eleven, but not more than fifteen dangerous wild animals;
(4) One thousand dollars if the applicant possesses sixteen or more dangerous wild animals plus an additional one hundred twenty-five dollars for each animal that the applicant possesses in an amount greater than fifteen dangerous wild animals.
The insurance requirement is expensive and not easily or readily obtained:
(2) Proof of financial responsibility shall be in one of the following amounts, as applicable:
(a) Two hundred thousand dollars if the applicant possesses not more than five dangerous wild animals;
(b) Five hundred thousand dollars if the applicant possesses at least six, but not more than fifteen dangerous wild animals;
(c) One million dollars if the applicant possesses sixteen or more dangerous wild animals.
Other requirements include unnecessary veterinary procedures which add to the cost and the temporary caging rules include higher standards than those of the exempted facilities belonging to AZA, ZAA or GFAS - Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, all private organizations.
Black Pine Animal Sanctuary was a proponent, a supporter, of this legislation and testified at the statehouse in support of its passage. Lori Gagen, BPAS Executive Director testified, also adding that she had never even owned a dog. Certainly the promoting of such regulations causes some of the instances claimed by Black Pine in their mission statement:
"Captive-raised exotic animals in America often have nowhere to turn when they face losing the only home they've known, yet millions of people remain unaware of their plight. Thousands of captive animals each year are surrendered, abandoned, confiscated, and otherwise displaced."
The fate of exotic animals in Ohio has been placed in a precarious position, indeed, when the very sanctuaries supporting banning others from keeping these animals cannot afford to take in more animals without financial assistance. Euthanasia - of healthy animals with no place to go - was mentioned in the hearings for SB310 by almost every sanctuary and zoo in support of its passage.
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