Born Free USA Legislation

H 2061 Relates to Treatment of Elephants

Update: Sadly, this bill did not complete the legislative process prior to adjournment.

Bill Description: If passed, this bill would make it unlawful for an owner or manager of elephants to engage in abusive treatment toward them. Specifically, this bill bans the use of electricity or martingales; deprivation of food, water, or rest; and physical punishment resulting in damage, scarring, or breakage of the skin.

Action: Please contact your state Delegate and urge him or her to support H 2061.

H 3117 Allows Trappers to Sell Live Wild Animals for Hounding

Update: Good news! This bill did not complete the legislative process prior to adjournment.

Bill Description: If passed, this bill would allow predator control trappers to trap bobcats, coyotes, and cougars, and then sell them for the practice of hounding, "hound-running" or hound "penning." In so doing, the bill would water down existing law, which requires individuals in certain counties to register in order to possess certain dangerous wild animals. If this bill passes, these individuals would no longer be required to register these dangerous animals with local animal control, to maintain liability insurance for having these dangerous animals, to notify local animal control if the animals are sold or die, or to reimburse taxpayers for the costs of re-capturing the animals if the animals escape.

Action: Please contact your state Representative and urge him or her to oppose H 3117. Tell your Representative that this legislation poses a public health and safety risk that simply is unacceptable. Wildlife agency officials have expressed concerns that allowing coyotes to be trapped and sold could increase the risk of spreading canine distemper and rabies. The issue of wildlife disease transmission is of increasing concern and this bill takes Texas in the wrong direction. Furthermore, the current law does not prohibit the keeping of a dangerous wild animal but merely requires that the animal be registered with the local animal control authority. There is no reason why predator control trappers should be exempt from registering their dangerous wild animals with their local animal control authority just like everyone else who possesses a dangerous wild animal. The purpose of registering dangerous wild animals is to allow citizens to know who is keeping dangerous wild animals and where they are located so that the public can protect itself from these animals. Citizens and public safety officials have the right to know who is keeping bobcats, coyotes, and cougars, no matter who that person may be or what his occupation is. And shifting the costs of keeping these animals onto the taxpayers' shoulders is unfair and short-sighted. The exemption from having liability insurance is particularly troubling in this regard. Finally, this bill would allow the chasing of coyotes, bobcats, and cougars in the gruesome practice of hounding, "penning," or "hound-running." "Hound-running" involves training hunting hounds on live wildlife in enclosed pens. The wildlife are frequently maimed and killed in the process. This is blatantly cruel and should be voted down.

HB 278 Bans the Sale of Animals along Streets

Update: Sadly, this bill did not complete the legislative process prior to adjournment.

Bill Description: If this bill passes, the sale of puppies and kittens would be prohibited in open-air markets, on street corners, and in parking lots.

Action: Please contact your state Representative and urge him or her to support HB 278.

SB 1870 Protects Captive Elephants

Bill Description: If this bill passes, it will make it unlawful for a person who travels with elephants to engage in inhumane or abusive treatment toward them. Specifically, this bill prohibits the use of cruel training devices such as the bullhook (ankus) and chains.

Action: Please contact your state Senator and urge him or her to support SB 1870.

LD 241 Expands the Hunting Season on Bears

Update: Great news! This legislation failed. Please stay tuned for any further developments.

Bill Description: If passed, this legislation would expand the hunting of bears by opening an additional hunting season in the spring.

H 208 Requires Fur Garments Be Labeled as to Fur Origin

Update: Sadly, this legislation failed to garner the support it needed. Please stay tuned for any further developments.

Bill Description: If passed, this bill would require that sellers of fur garments include a label disclosing the type of animal whose fur was used in the garment as well as the country of origin (if imported). Federal law requires that garments made entirely or partly with fur must have a label disclosing certain data; however, that law does not apply to fur trim or fur products that are sold for $150 or less. H. 208 would close that loophole in Maryland by applying to all fur garments, regardless of the price.

Action: Please contact your state Representative and urge him or her to support H 208.

H 831 Bans Recreational Leghold Trapping

Update: This legislation has passed the House and is pending in the Senate. Please contact your state Senator in support.

Bill Description: If passed, this bill would strengthen the existing ban on body-crushing traps in Montgomery County by removing the exemption allowing leghold traps to be used on farmland as well as preventing the use of these traps in water. Under existing law, these traps are banned on land in 5 counties. The exceptions are that, if human health and safety were jeopardized, the traps could be used. They also could be used for research, to abate property damage, and to protect threatened or endangered species.

Action: Please contact your state Representative and urge him or her to support H 831. Tell your Representative that leghold traps are arbitrary and antiquated. These devices case immense suffering as the animals they capture may die of dehydration, starvation, or predation from other animals if the trapper fails to check the device soon after the animal stumbles into it. Furthermore, these devices are not species-selective. They are indiscriminate and sometimes catch and kill non-target animals, including family cats and dogs and endangered species.

SB 342 Requires Fur Garments Be Labeled as to Fur Origin

Update: Sadly, this legislation failed to garner the support it needed. Please stay tuned for any further developments.

Bill Description: If passed, this bill would require that sellers of fur garments include a label disclosing the type of animal whose fur was used in the garment as well as the country of origin (if imported). ederal law requires that garments made entirely or partly with fur must have a label disclosing certain data; however, that law does not apply to fur trim or fur products that are sold for $150 or less. SB 342 would close that loophole in Maryland by applying to all fur garments, regardless of the price.

Action: Please contact your state Senator and urge him or her to support SB 342.