California: Pass a Wild Animal Public Contact Ban

This action is for California residents only.

The Public Contact Safety Act (A.B.892) would prohibit public encounters with animals such as handfeeding, petting, holding, or playing with nonhuman primates, bears, elephants, sloths, otters, kangaroos, wallabies, servals, and caracals held in captivity.

Wild animal encounters are not safe for people or animals. These encounters require excessive breeding to constantly replace animals who outgrow the program or become injurious or uncooperative, creating surplus animals who all too frequently end up in backyard menageries, poorly run facilities, or are sent to auction.

Wild animals can also spread viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections that pose serious health risks to people. Public handling is largely unregulated by any agency, resulting in instances of wild animals injuring the public, including children.

Urge your California lawmakers to support A.B.892.

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