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Victories: Two States Ban Wild Animals in Traveling Acts

Victories: Two States Ban Wild Animals in Traveling Acts

Two important bans were officially enacted in December 2018 to prohibit the exploitation of wild animals in traveling exhibitions. These bans are a positive step forward to animals and may open the door for similar animal protection legislation in 2019 and beyond!

The first ban, dubbed Nosey’s Law, was signed on December 14, making it illegal for any traveling acts in the state of New Jersey to use exotic animals, thereby protecting animals from the “abuses inherent in traveling shows.” We asked you to contact New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and other decision-makers to raise awareness of Nosey the elephant’s plight including being forced to perform despite suffering from arthritis and a plethora of other excruciating medical conditions. Thanks to your involvement, Nosey’s Law will now save more exotic animals from similarly unacceptable captive abuse.

On December 21, new regulations were approved in Hawaii to prohibit the importation of animals destined for lives of exploitation in circus environments. This bill, signed by Governor David Ige, sends a firm message that Hawaii will no longer tolerate the abuse of elephants or other animals.

In Defense of Animals applauds the actions of Governor Ige and Governor Murphy for their commitment to ending animal abuse in traveling acts and circus environments. These laws were passed thanks to public input – meaning that every action has an impact, whether it is contacting legislators or attending demonstrations.

While these two new laws are a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go before elephant abuse in North America is halted for good. Our recently-released Ten Worst Zoos list shines a spotlight on facilities throughout the United States that engage in on-going cruelty to profit from exploiting elephants.

Consider making a generous donation now to continue our vital work in defense of elephants.

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