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House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	March 11, 2019 02:59 PM
From:	Representative Melissa L. Shusterman
To:	All House members
Subject:	Ban traveling animal acts in Pennsylvania

After traveling for hours in a cramped truck, a bear is prodded into another ring in another town. A reluctant young elephant, frightened by the attention and yelling, has her skin torn by a metal hook while she is “trained” to perform. Increasingly, caring Pennsylvanians have become aware of the inhumane treatment, confinement, and transport of animals in traveling circuses. While the larger acts have largely voluntarily closed down due to lack of demand and competition from cruelty free entertainment such as Cirque De Soleil, small operations with even less oversight still haul neglected animals state to state. New Jersey recently enacted legislation to ban the inhumane transport of exotic animals for the purpose of public performance and it is time for Pennsylvania to do the same. This legislation will prevent the transport of elephants, big cats, bears, primates, kangaroos, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, zebras, tapirs, seals, sea lions and sharks for public performances. This legislation will not prevent zoos from exhibiting animals at their facility, nor does it prevent nonprofits, educators, or wildlife rehabilitators from traveling for educational programs featuring birds, lizards, or other exempt species. Please, take a stand against animal cruelty and join me in ending the suffering of these beautiful creatures within our boarders.

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