BEFORE THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES, WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, THE GLOBAL FEDERATION OF ANIMAL SANCTUARIES, THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE, BORN FREE USA, THE FUND FOR ANIMALS, BIG CAT RESCUE, AND DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY PETITIONERS PETITION FOR RULEMAKING TO PROHIBIT PUBLIC CONTACT WITH BIG CATS, BEARS, AND NONHUMAN PRIMATES Anna Frostic (D.C. Bar No. 977732) Kimberly Ockene (D.C. Bar No. 461191) The Humane Society of the United States 2100 L Street NW Washington, DC 20037
[email protected] Amended January 7, 2013 (originally filed October 18, 2012) TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Notice of Petition…………………………………………………………………………...3 II. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….8 III. Examples of Facilities that Offer Public Contact with Dangerous Wild Animals..9 IV. Legal Background and Authority to Amend Regulations…………………………..13 V. Current Handling Regulations Are Difficult to Enforce and Applied Inconsistently……………………………………………………………………………...19 VI. Public Handling of Big Cats, Bears, and Nonhuman Primates Undermines Animal Welfare, Public Safety, and Conservation and Must Be Prohibited…….23 A. Unmanaged Breeding………………………………………………24 B. Premature Mother-Infant Separation……………………………27 C. Excessive Handling of Young and Immature Animals………..34 D. Traveling Exhibition………………………………………………..35 E. Abusive Training, Declawing, and De-Fanging………………...38 F. Disease Transfer to Exhibited Animals……………………….…39 G. Risk of Physical Injury to Public During Handling……………42 H. Zoonotic Disease Transfer to Public……………………………...43 I. Risk of Injury to Public After Handling………………………….46 J. Conservation Impacts……………………………………………....49 VII. Proposed Amendments to Handling Regulations…………………………………….51 VIII. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….…54 IX. Expert Declarations…………………………………………………………………..…..56 X. Appendices….………………………………………………………..….See Enclosed Disc A. Evidence of Public Contact by Licensed Exhibitors B.