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COLUMBUS -- Exiting Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland ordered a ban on new dangerous pets Thursday.

According to Strickland, the order will restrict future ownership, breeding, sale, and trade or barter of wild animals “that are dangerous to human health and safety.”

Under the ban, those who already own exotic pets will now have to register their animals with the state will also be barred from breeding boas, tigers, bears and other wild animals.

Strickland signed the emergency order to fulfill a deal his administration made with the Humane Society of the United States, Ohio’s agribusiness industry and other animal rights groups.

That agreement kept the Humane Society from going to the ballot with a measure containing a numerous restrictions on pet ownership and treatment and livestock care.

“"[The ban] will keep Ohio's vital agriculture industry profitable while appropriately updating animal care standards," Strickland said.

Strickland’s move follows a fatal black bear mauling of an animal caretaker in Lorain County last August.

"This rule will help protect Ohioans from deaths and serious injuries caused by attacks from dangerous wild animals held in private ownership," Strickland said.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife will enforce the ban. It will last 90 days.

It will be up to Gov.-elect John Kasich whether to keep the restrictions in place. He takes office Monday.

Ohio was one of the last few states to allow private ownership of dangerous animals with few restrictions.
www.wlwt.com/r/26388147/detail.html

For those interested, here is the Executive Order itself. Especially disconcerting is that there is NO definition of what a "large, constricting snake" is. Are corn snakes, boas, and ball pythons now considered "large constricting snakes in Ohio?

www.gongwer-oh.com/129/execorder10-17s.pdf

"Executive order"---Political doublespeak for "I am above the democratic process, I am your Lord and you shall OBEY". The executive order is the tool of a despot. Only dictators rule like that. Way to trample the peoples' rights, Strickland. Lame duck bastard.

Hell, while you're at it, why not add Yeti, Mothmen, Devil Monkeys, Nessie, and Chupracabras to the list as well. Captive specimens of these animals have harmed about the same number of people in Ohio as "large, constricting snakes". Absolutely ridiculous. Sounds to me like HSUS and that uppity OSU prof are finally trying to put a dagger in the All-Ohio show once and for all. They have been trying for years, after all. Sooo glad I moved to West Virginia.

"Hell, while you're at it, why not add Yeti, Mothmen, Devil Monkeys, Nessie, and Chupracabras to the list as well."

Sure, why not? After all, these creatures too are the source of much "inspiration leading to the possibility of their outright existance", at least according to Animal (Rights) Planet nowadays.

Hooray! The streets of Ohio are now safe to walk at night. No more will gangs of lemurs terrorize innocents citizens. No more will tigers rob liquor stores at pawpoint to pay for their meat habit. No more will elephants defeat the alarm systems of senior citizens homes and rob them while they sleep. No more will pythons sell drugs in front of schools. It's like the dude can't fix any real problems so he has to invent ones to fix. No doubt Ohioans across the state are glad that Mr. Strickland found such a wise way to spend their evidently plentiful tax dollars.
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www.hcu-tx.org/

Strickland the spineless slug, leaves slime trail behind as he vacates office.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

On Nov. 3, 2009, the Ohio voters spoke loud and clear. By a landslide 67-37 vote they authorized the creation of a livestock board to regulate animal care in Ohio. .

This was in response to the plea of those who introduced the ballot initiative to keep animal care policy in the hands of Ohioans and out of the hands of the radical Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

But it was not to be, Gov. Strickland, conspiring together with his agricultural secretary and two Ohio agricultural “leaders”, negotiated behind closed doors with the president of the HSUS and reached an agreement that preempted any action that the livestock board might take in regulating animal care. It was an act of treachery perpetrated by the governor against the citizens of Ohio.

According to media reports, HSUS representatives and their surrogates have been showing up in force at meetings of the board. Their object is to intimidate the members of the board into believing that if they adopt measures not approved by these radicals, a ballot initiatives will be introduced at the next election by the HSUS mandating draconian animal care regulations. (The response of the board members to this should be: bring it on.)

The people spoke and Gov. Ted Strickland, his agricultural secretary, and the hapless farm organization “leaders” didn’t listen.

Will Gov. Kasich listen? Will he declare publicly that the agreement brokered by Strickland and the HSUS is null and void? Will the Republicans who now control both the Ohio House and Senate listen? Will the members of the livestock board listen?

In short, will animal-care policy in Ohio be governed by the voter-created livestock board or will it be governed by radical out-of-state vegan pressure group fanatics? The voters are watching and waiting to see which it will be.

Clyde Nehrenz, Sullivan

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Strickland threw Buckeyes under the bus and I wonder if the new guy will do the same. It cannot be good to be against job creation these days.

Very true, about the job creation that is. The point of my attempt at a humorous rant above is that many of these all out bans seem to be motivated by three things, justifyng their jobs, emotion and money.

There are so many problems in this country today. The politicians are being blamed and people want them to do something about these problems. In exotics politicians seem to have found a "problem" that is very easy to exploit. It's very easy to point to a few realatively rare mishaps involving exotics, sensationalize them and them come up with a "solution". It makes the politicians look good, like they are doing something.

The general populace has very little factual knowledge about exotics so their default response is generally based on emotion. People get in an emotional state and they are very easy to manipulate.

Then there is money. HSUS, PETA, etc. have alot of it. Politicians want it. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where this is going. Since most people don't own exotics and since they are basicly caught up in emotions, there is very little resistance to virtually any "solution" a politician proposes. It's easy money for the politicians.

What people don't realize is that the money the animal rights activists give to these politicians is really just "start up" money. Once the regs are in place the animals rights activists are done. They are not going to help pay for regulation and enforcement. That's going to come out of the taxpayers pockets and these things have a way of snowballing. Actually it's no secret why. The government is going to find endless reasons to expand these exotic control programs and down the line it will become a huge taxpayer expense. Inspections, monitoring, investigations, enforcement, trials, rehabilitation facilities for animals, on and on is all going to come out of the taxpayers pockets. When one is really aware of how statistically rare exotic mishaps are, one becomes aware of how rediculous how much money it is going to cost for something that does nothing to solve the real problems that people actually are affected by.
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www.hcu-tx.org/

Yes, it is very much a shell game...a slight of hand...politicians seeming to do something beneficial for their constituents, while actually doing nothing. More needlessly encumbering regulations with no financial means to support enforcement.

Strickland and his cronies cratered to the strong-arm extortion tactics of Wayne PU-Sell-E.

jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

I'd like to point out that there is one individual in Cinnci., OH that was largely responsible for passing this same act in KY. He's been pushing his OH agenda through news & theatre for the past five years or more. I won't mention his name as I won't promote him or his ego. Let's look into who receives these confiscated animals as I believe it'll be the same people pushing this ban through. I know from past experience, snakes obtained by him have been "donated" to his brother. He does (or did) run an "animal sancutuary" for big cats & such. I would believe if on paper or not, his family is benefiting from this financially.

Banning exotic animals won’t prevent another death

COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP — An emergency executive order banning new ownership of exotic animals will not prevent another incident like the one that killed 24-year-old Brent Kandra months ago, Sam Mazzola said.

Kandra, of Elyria, was mauled to death by a bear at Mazzola’s Columbia Township home, 9978 N. Marks Road, more than four months ago.

“I mourn Brent’s death every day. He was a very close, special friend to me,” Mazzola said. “Every day I pray for him and he’s in my thoughts every day. Nobody lives with it more than me. I was there.”

Outgoing Gov. Ted Strickland’s order prohibits the new ownership of animals and requires anyone who owns exotic animals to register them with the state. Owners are not allowed to breed, sell, trade or barter their dangerous animals, according to the order.

But that alone, Mazzola said, won’t prevent an animal trainer from getting in a cage with an animal.

“This isn’t going to prevent anyone else from getting killed,” Mazzola said. “Pretending it will is a boldfaced lie. It will not and it’s not going to prevent the private ownership of animals ... It’s a worthless law.”

Mazzola, who still has animals on his property, said he will continue to own animals until they all die. The animals still in his care, he said, have been with him for 20 or 30 years.

While the order allows Mazzola to maintain control of the animals, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called for Strickland to “seize bears, tigers, wolves and a lion owned by notorious animal exhibitor Sam Mazzola.”

Kandra’s father, John Kandra, said he and his ex-wife are happy that the governor has signed the order.

“We’re happy that there’s a bill in progress,” John Kandra said. “Also, and the thing is, at least more and more people are more aware of the things that are actually going on.”
The order fulfills the governor’s responsibilities in an agreement between Ohio’s agricultural leaders and the Humane Society, according to the governor’s office.

“This rule will help protect Ohioans from deaths and serious injuries caused by attacks from dangerous wild animals held in private ownership,” Strickland said in a statement.

John Kandra said he and his ex-wife are hopeful no one else will be hurt.

“The thing is, it’s like anybody. If you have a chance to pet a baby tiger or baby lion or baby bear, boy, that would be neat, but now you’re dealing with an adult and that’s a whole other ball game,” John Kandra said. “The thing is, the bill talks about having competent and trained people, and not just anybody (working with the animals). Right now, anybody could have a bear or lion or tiger without controls. At least they’re trying to have some semblance of order.”

The order goes into effect immediately, but is only effective for 90 days. It is up to Gov.-elect John Kasich whether to keep the restrictions in place.

“I’m just at a loss for words,” John Kandra said. “It’s an empty feeling not having my son. It’s just something that no father wants to experience.”

The ban will be carried out by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.
morningjournal.com/articles/2011/01/07/news/mj3928711.txt?viewmode=2

Ohio exotic industry roaring over governor’s ban
WOOSTER, Ohio — The part-owner to one of Ohio’s only exotic animal auctions is trying to figure out how an executive order by exiting Gov. Ted Strickland will affect his business.

Thurman Mullet, who owns the Mount Hope Auction with his brother, Steve, was still learning about the order on Jan. 7, which ultimately bans ownership, sale and breeding of certain “dangerous wild animals.”

Strickland made the announcement Jan. 6, following a deal he brokered in late June with the animal rights organization Humane Society of the United States, and Ohio’s farm leaders, to prevent an animal care ballot initiative by HSUS.

Since the ban announcement, farmers, pet owners and consumers have been busy trying to figure out what it means, and how it may affect their own businesses.

Long history

The Mount Hope exotic sale, properly called the “Mid Ohio Alternative Animal and Bird Sale,” dates back to 1990 and has become a feature event, drawing a crowd from across Ohio and beyond.

The sale has a rule on dangerous animals — they must be no larger than 20 pounds — and the sale permits no venomous snakes. In the sale’s 20-year history, Mullet said he can’t think of any accidents.

But if Strickland’s order is upheld by the Kasich administration, it could be the end of sale for certain animals.

Among those banned — big cats, wolves, bears, non-human primates, large constricting and venomous snakes, and crocodilians.

Restrictions

The order authorizes ODNR to adopt a new rule that prevents new private ownership of wild animals that are dangerous to human health and safety. It also requires existing private owners of dangerous wild animals to register the animals with the state; and describes the type of facilities that can own and rehabilitate dangerous wild animals.

Mullet is studying the issue closer, to see what animals he can put into his next auction flyer. The sale is held three times a year.

“We’re not dependent on the dangerous animals and we don’t sell a lot of those,” he said.

But he’s concerned for those who do raise dangerous animals, and he questions what will be next. A bull can be dangerous, he said, but is an important part of animal agriculture.

“They (activists) won’t stop at just this,” he predicted. “Next would be certain primates; next, certain other animals.”

Mistreated?

Exotic animal owners have expressed disappointment with the agreement between HSUS and Ohio’s agriculture leaders, saying they felt “thrown under the bus,” along the way.

The Ohio Association of Animal Owners called the governor’s order a power grab by the ODNR “to seize control of, and ultimately shut down Ohio’s exotic animal industry.”

“There is no exotic animal emergency in Ohio,” said Polly Britton, the organization’s legislative assistant, in a news release.

Britton said licensed animal owners, breeders and exhibitors have safely and securely kept these animals for many years and are subject to regular, unannounced government inspections to ensure no one or animal is at risk.

“This emergency order is fueled by animal rights extremism and scaremongering, and it is a direct attack on commerce and private enterprise in Ohio,” she said.

Serious incident

The HSUS’ leading call for the ban stems from an incident in August, when a bear mauled to death its caretaker, Brent Kandra, 24, at a Lorain County residence where exotic animals were kept.

Kandra’s mother, Deirdre Herbert, has spent the past several months calling for the ban, holding press conferences with HSUS and reminding the public of her loss.

“I believe that this valuable executive order will not only prevent other families from suffering the tragedy and loss as my family has experienced, but is also a humane act towards these majestic animals,” she said, in a release from HSUS.

The animal rights organization says “private citizens generally cannot provide the sophisticated care these animals require in captivity” and touted Strickland’s order as a major success.

“Dangerous wild animals do not belong in the backyards and basements of private citizens,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of HSUS. “It’s bad for the animals and dangerous for people. This emergency order is good for Ohio, and we look forward to seeing it implemented in the months ahead.”

More on the ban

Under the rule, the ownership, breeding, selling, trading, and bartering of dangerous wild animals is prohibited to anyone who does not currently own one of the designated animals.

Similarly, existing owners of wild dangerous animals cannot breed, sell, trade, or barter these types of animals.

Existing owners would be allowed to continue with their ownership if they register their animals by May 1, 2011, and every year thereafter.

Massillon mascot exempt

Accredited zoos, bona fide wildlife sanctuaries, and certain other facilities are exempt.

Also, subject to certain criteria, long-standing circuses and mascot programs, along with veterinary hospitals, research facilities, Department of Natural Resources-permitted native-wildlife rehabilitation facilities, law enforcement officers, and temporary transporters will also be allowed to continue to own these types of animals.

According to ODNR Director Sean Logan, who is also leaving office under the new Kasich administration, the rule will become effective immediately, but it is only effective for 90 days.

“We hope the incoming administration will see the value of this effort and take the necessary steps to implement a permanent rule that would ban the ownership of these species,” Logan added.

During those 90 day, ODNR will submit these rules to the state’s rule-making body, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, for inclusion in Ohio’s Administrative Code.
www.farmanddairy.com/news/ohio-exotic-industry-roaring-over-governors-ban/19965.html