LGC 9.11 - Big Cat Public Safety Act

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Big Cat Public Safety Act

SEC. 1. DEFINITIONS.

(a) BREED.—The term ‘breed’ means to facilitate propagation or reproduction (whether intentionally or negligently), or to fail to prevent propagation or reproduction.

(b) SECRETARY.-- The Term 'secretary' means the regional secretary of agriculture should one exist, or in the absence of such an individual, the office of the Governor.

(c) PROHIBITED WILDLIFE SPECIES.-- The 'prohibited wildlife species' under this act are lion (Panthera leo), tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), jaguar (Panthera onca), cougar (Puma concolor), or any hybrid thereof.

(d) DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.-- The Term 'Department of Agriculture' means a regional department of agriculture if one exists, or a federal department of agriculture if one exists, or if neither exists, the federal department of internal affairs.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITIONS

IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), it is unlawful for any person to
import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, purchase, breed or possess any prohibited wildlife species.

LIMITATION ON APPLICATION.— The above does not apply to—
(A) an entity exhibiting animals to the public under a Class C license from the Department of Agriculture, or a Federal facility registered with the Department of Agriculture that exhibits animals, if such entity or facility holds such license or registration in good standing, if such entity or facility ensures that the animal is at least 15 feet from members of the public unless there is a permanent barrier sufficient to prevent public contact, and if the entity or facility—
(i) does not allow any individual to come into direct physical contact with a prohibited wildlife species, unless that individual is—
(I) a trained professional employee or contractor of the entity or
facility (or an accompanying employee receiving professional training);
(II) a licensed veterinarian (or a veterinary student accompanying such a veterinarian); or
(III) directly supporting conservation programs of the entity or facility, provided that the contact is not in the course of commercial activity (which may be evidenced by advertisement or promotion of such activity or other relevant evidence), and the contact is incidental to humane husbandry conducted pursuant to a species-specific, publicly available, peer-edited population management and care plan that has been provided to the Secretary with justifications that the plan—
(aa) reflects established conservation science principles;
(bb) incorporates genetic and demographic analysis of a multi-institution population of animals covered by the plan; and
(cc) promotes animal welfare by ensuring that the frequency of breeding is appropriate
for the species;

(B) a State college, university, or agency, or a State-licensed veterinarian;
(C) a wildlife sanctuary that cares for prohibited wildlife species, provided it:
   (i) is a corporation that is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and described in sections 501(c)(3) and
16 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) of such Code;
   (ii) does not commercially trade in any prohibited wildlife species, including offspring, parts, and byproducts of such animals;
   (iii) does not breed such animals for profit
   (iv) does not allow direct contact between the public and any prohibited wildlife species; and
   (v) does not allow the transportation and display of any prohibited wildlife species off-site;
(D) An individual who has custody of any prohibited wildlife species solely for the purpose of expeditiously
transporting the prohibited wildlife species to a person described in this paragraph with respect to the species; or
(E) an entity or individual that is in possession of any prohibited wildlife species that was born before the date of the enactment of the Big Cat Public Safety Act, and—
(i) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the such Act, the entity or individual registers each individual animal of each prohibited wildlife species possessed by the entity or individual with the Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service;
(ii) does not breed, acquire, or sell any prohibited wildlife species after the date of the enactment of such Act; and (iii) does not allow direct contact between the public and prohibited wildlife species.

SEC. 3. PENALTIES.

Any person who knowingly violates this act shall be fined not more than $20,000, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both. Each violation shall be a separate offense and the offense is deemed to have been committed in the district where the violation first occurred, and in any district in which the defendant may have taken or been in possession of the prohibited wildlife species.

SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATION.

The Secretary shall, in consultation with other relevant Federal, Regional and State agencies, promulgate any regulations necessary to implement this Act.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This bill shall take effect 30 days after passage.

Sponsor: Speaker Dwarven Dragon
Occupying: Slot 1 of 8

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