Editor:
One year after the tragic incident of Zanesville, I would say that Ohio has not taken a step forward but a giant step backwards. Legislation forced upon Ohio citizens was neither for the benefit of the public nor the animals.
SB310 does not protect the public nor will it stop another incident from occurring. It only allows animal rights- backed elected officials the right to forcibly remove animals from facilities where they are well cared for and protected.
Legitimate USDA licensed facilities are now forced to make a decision; pay exorbitant fees, relinquish their beloved animals or move out of state. We are persecuted for selling our animals to help pay for their feed, vet care and our facilities while local zoo personalities go on late night TV and exploit the very animals they claim to protect.
ODA states their vets are knowledgeable of exotic species, yet it is the owners to which they turn for knowledge. Even the zoos seek our knowledge and purchase animals from us; I have USDA forms to prove it, as do others.
SB310 testimony saw numerous incorrect statements, including one made stating one fatality due to exotic animal ownership is not correct, that there is “no checkbox on the coroner’s report for death by exotic animal.”
Although correct, so is the number, one death in 50 years. While there is no “check box,” there is a mandatory investigation by local law enforcement and they must notify the state health department.
Before the law was drafted the odds were against owners. Prior to the hearings, one senator attended a meeting with concerned animal owners, one of the first statements he made was “there will be a new law.”
Odds continue to be stacked against animal owners by appointing a biased law enforcement officer to the state board along with a rescue facility owner that is not in touch with animal owners. How easy to “add” new animals to the list with each passing year.
The greatest event in the past year was the return of the animals to Zanesville. They once again are in a loving environment with human contact daily, not just thrown a chunk of meat and left in a cold cell alone.
The series of events, starting in 2009 lead to a logical conclusion. This was staged for the animal rights agenda of the HSUS and completes the “Buckeye Agreement.” Shame our elected officials were so easily persuaded to turn against those that put them in office.
Keith Campbell
Frazeysburg, Ohio
I was at the meeting for SB310 Balderson is my Senator. He bold faced lied to me. He told us this law would not stop us from breeding, selling, or making a living for are families. In fact, he was making deals with the Humane Society of the US and PETA
Then Brain Hill, My State Rep. told me we needed this law. I asked him with only one death in Ohio from exotics why we needed his law, he said Public safety. I told him what about the drunk drivers he said they are not a problem
Dave Hall from Homes county just plain lied to all animal owners he forgets Homes County Has Amish that farm raise dogs. 90% of his home county raise animals, he just went running with open arms to Wayne Pacelle to pass whatever he wanted. This law is not good for anyone but Animal Rights supporters.
No animal owner should ever vote for any of these 3 elected officals nor John Kasich.
I agree that these elected officials ignored the facts and constitutional issues when they pushed thru this law. To pass a law that makes it almost impossible to obey, to charge ridiculously high fees, make owners subject to a privite zoo club run by FBI listed terroists when the owners are federally regulated and then take away their personal property when owners can’t meet requirments seems to me unethical. These officials will never get my vote again.
This law is all about separating animals from people, and making said animals extinct (The ultimate goal of groups like HSUS, PETA, etc.). It has nothing whatsoever to do about public safety. I bet there are more people killed crossing the street in Cincinnati every year than have been killed by exotic animals in the last fifty! And when these animals are driven to extinction by no-breed laws like this, they can never be brought back. I hope the good people of Ohio can get this law thrown out in court, and put the people responsible in cages (prison cells) instead!
Until the blinders of truth and justice are removed, animals loose. Remember a seed can down a building. Anyone effected by the purchased elected officials can plant a seed if they have enough balls or tits.
You don’t plant the seeds you will loose alot more than just these labled animals.