Wild animals finally come under state control in Ohio

It has been nearly four years since Terry Thompson proved that Ohio had ignored for too long the obvious danger that private ownership of wild and dangerous animals represents to people – and to the animals.

Thompson operated an unregulated private zoo near Zanesville. In October 2011, he released 50 wild animals into the countryside before killing himself. Faced with the oncoming night and the danger presented by roaming big cats and bears, the Muskingum County sheriff gave the only order he could: shoot to kill. Authorities killed 48 of Thompson’s animals.

It took more than two years for the General Assembly to pass and place in effect the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, which required owners of thousands of exotic animals in the state to register them by Dec. 31, 2013, and to meet reasonable safety standards.

Now, a year and a half later, the state is cracking down on scofflaws.

OWNERS WARNED

Last month, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which is the state’s enforcement agency, put eight owners of dangerous wild animals on notice that they must move the animals out of Ohio, surrender them to the state or prove they have an exemption from the permit requirement, such as certain zoo-association memberships. Those owners had started the state’s new permit process last year but didn’t complete it.

Far too many owners of wild animals chose to ignore the state law or filed unsuccessful lawsuits that essentially claimed they had a constitutional right to own tigers and lions and bears (and pythons and wolves and alligators) without any interference from the state. The suggestion that the state has less authority to regulate ownership of a gorilla than a golden retriever is ridiculous.

Aggressive action by the agriculture department to enforce the law is past due.

Those who have attempted to keep the state from enforcing the Dangerous Wild Animals Act have had their day in court, have delayed implementation of the law and have cost the state time and money.

Protecting the public safety and assuring that wild animals held in private hands are receiving proper shelter and care are a priority. And the message must be sent that ignoring the law has consequences.

ARCHIE THE BEAR

The state is going to face some tough choices as it works on enforcement. One such case is that of an elderly bear named Archie who has been kept by a Lodi couple, Debra and Jeff Gillium, for 40 years.

The Gilliums sought a restraining order against the state, claiming that they were not properly notified about the law. That order was denied and an agriculture department hearing will take place later this month.

The Gilliums claim that Archie is in the only home he knows, that he is approaching the end of his life and that he is no danger to the public. Further, they suggest that sedating him for transfer to a strange new home could prove fatal.

We hope that those and other issues are addressed so that the hearing officer can arrive at a recommendation that is both within the law and humane. If there is evidence that Archie is truly better off spending his remaining days where he is, the bear should not be penalized for the transgressions of his owners.

Whatever the outcome of this case – and other cases in the future – none of these legal battles would have been necessary if Ohio had not ignored for decades how wrong and dangerous it was to have unregulated ownership of dangerous wildlife.