- TEXAS - Breaking Alert: Primates, Big Cats, and more bans.
Published by -NAWA News Feed- in - ACTION ALERTS - · Wednesday 17 Mar 2021
Rep Ryan Guillen (D - Rio Grande City) and the NEW Texas State Director of HSUS, Lauren Loney, (also the current President of the Central Chapter of Texas Humane Legislative Network, THLN), are once again pushing for more animal bans in Texas, and they want to expand the list to more primates!
The DWA (Dangerous Wild Animal Act) was initially written and eventually passed in 2002 by Texas Humane Legislative Network, an HSUS ally and extremist off-shoot in Texas, masquerading it as a bill to protect the public from owners of the listed Dangerous Wild Animals by registering them. Each session since it was originally adopted, there have been many attempts to amend it. Due to strong opposition, all those attempts have failed.
Under the guise of public safety, the new bill (HB 4049) wants to add more animals and primates to the ban list and also add a complete end to such ownership.
Just some of the issues we will be fighting:
1. This will BAN all circus and traveling animal shows on a mass level, including the Shriners Circus’, (which helps support the Shriners Hospitals for Children)
2. This will BAN all future ownership of many primates.
3. This will BAN all future ownership on big cats.
4. This will BAN motion picture and commercials wanting to use animals on a mass level.
We also have just learned that Rep. Guillen is “wanting” to have a stakeholders meeting about this bill. Yea,..we know,..makes no sense to have a stakeholders meeting AFTER you have filed the bill. That says a lot.
More species that HB 4049 wants BANNED.
NAWA has its campaign actions starting, so be looking for the Call For Action as soon as the bill is assigned to a committee. In the meantime, if you would like to be notified of any stakeholders meeting that Rep. Guillen may have, WE STRONGLY SUGGEST that you send a quick email to his Chief of Staff (the person who announced the meeting) asking to be added to that information loop. THIS IS IMPORTANT !
Even if you live outside Texas we strongly suggest that you stay on the stakeholders list to keep up to date with those tactics HSUS is using.
Politely send a quick email to:
Mr. Jonathan.Wilson
Rep. Ryan Guillen - Chief of Staff
A good example of a quick email:
Mr. Wilson, I have been made aware that Rep. Guillen may be scheduling a stakeholder meeting related to HB 4049 very soon. Please accept this as my request to be notified of any such meeting, conference, etc.
Thank you for your time,
[Your Name and email]
_______________________________________________
BUT WE NEED TO REPORT
THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE TO UPDATE
EVERYONE ON !
On March 11, 2021, Representative Claidia Ordaz Perez (D - El Paso) filed HB 3710. This bill would stop ANY and ALL direct contact with several species including ELEPHANTS, (no more rides) and ALL NON-HUMANE PRIMATES, private owned or otherwise.
No exemptions!
HB 3710 would BAN activities like this
at the Houston Zoo.
This would include zoo’s and all private owners, even if the animal is operating and/or owned under current laws, period!
NAWA is actively engaged in fighting this bill as well. So be sure to be watching for the upcoming Call For Action when this one is also assigned to a committee.
NAWA and its partnering associations and groups are fighting these hard, and we will never slow down, we will never stop, and we have some very strong resources in our corner, but the key to victory is YOU!
Each and everyone that acts makes a huge difference!
As our fighting campaigns unleash, we encourage you to make a quick call to your Senator and Representative just to let them know you OPPOSE both these bills (HB 3710, HB 4049). It only takes a few seconds for a quick and polite call. We guarantee you that they will thank you for being an active constitute.
More action to come, so stay tuned in !
NAWA supports strong and reasonable animal welfare and public safety laws, but these bills aren’t it. We believe good animal welfare ideas entail grappling with dissonances and discrepancies arising from inconsistent or conflicting views (i.e., listening to all opinions). While good research certainly defies simple conceptualization, it is this process of constant reflection, open-mindedness, sharing of information, and interpretation of solid facts (not politics) that renders the animal welfare discussion process fluid, dynamic, and accurate in order for owners to make sound decisions related to any species that may be in their care.
"Every difference of opinions, are not a difference of values."
- Thomas Jefferson
