Ohio Ban on exotic pets to expire Wednesday

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COLUMBUS — Ohio Gov. John Kasich and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will develop new policies and procedures for owning and selling dangerous wild animals.

Kasich supports the regulation of dangerous wild animals to ensure the public’s safety and animals’ humane treatment, according to a statement yesterday from ODNR.

Kasich also wants to develop new rules in a transparent way with public input, the nature agency said.

The governor will allow to expire the Executive Order and Emergency Administrative rule banning the “possession, sale, and transfer” of dangerous wild animals. That rule, issued by former Gov. Ted Strickland, expires Wednesday.

“Concerns were raised with the rule’s short-term and long-term funding, legal authority, safety, and the overall feasibility of being able to efficiently and effectively enforce such a ban,” said a statement by ODNR.

Despite the executive order, the Ohio Division of Wildlife does not have the legal authority to regulate non-native dangerous wild animals such as tigers, lions and many poisonous snakes, said Laura Jones, ODNR spokeswoman.

The state natural resources agency will begin seeking public input from key groups, including the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Humane Society, Ohio Farm Bureau, the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association, the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association and the Ohio Association of Animal Owners Inc., Jones said.

Kasich has not made a schedule for legislation or an executive order, but the nature officials expect to begin a work group possibly as soon as next week, Jones said.

Yesterday, Lorain County wild animal owner Sam Mazzola predicted Kasich’s efforts would not involve people who own exotic animals. Rather, the legislation will be influenced by the political lobbyists of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which has called for Mazzola to be charged with homicide for the death of his friend, Brent Kandra, 24, who was mauled by one of Mazzola’s bears last year.

“Those scumbags, and you can quote me on that, from PETA have all the money and all the politics behind them and they will be heard,” Mazzola said.

PETA lied to Strickland and to Kandra’s family when the organization claimed Strickland’s order could prevent similar accidents with people and wild animals, Mazzola said. Last year, Kandra’s mother, Deirdre Herbert, wrote to Strickland to encourage his proposed ban on wild animal ownership.

“It’s a real sad thing because PETA has used her love and her heart to get their message across,” Mazzola said. “They don’t care about Brent. They don’t care about his mother.”

Mona Rutger, operator of Back to the Wild animal rehabilitation center in Margaretta Township, said she would support more rules in Ohio.

Zoos and education and rehab centers for wild animals are appropriate, Rutger said.

Animal babies, such as raccoons and foxes, are adorable but grow up to be problems, she said. Back to the Wild has two bobcats that were declawed and sold as pets to owners who later could not take care of the animals, Rutger said.

Now, those cats can’t return to the wild and won’t make good pets for anyone, she said.

“You can’t predict their behavior,” Rutger said. “They can be trained, but they can’t be tamed. There’s a big difference. Wild animals can’t be tamed. It’s an accident waiting to happen.”

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