Dear Myra, At malls, fairs, and roadside zoos across the country, for fees ranging from $10 to $500, the public can pet, feed, pose with, and play with wild animals. That moment might make for cute photos, but there's a dark story behind those pictures. - To facilitate such unsafe handling, baby tigers, lions, bears, and primates are pulled from the care of their protective mothers shortly after birth.
- When the baby animals outgrow their use as photography or play props - sometimes after just a few months - they are often discarded at shoddy roadside zoos, sold into the pet trade or can even be killed.
- This cycle of breeding, exploiting, and then dumping baby animals puts animals at risk and endangers the public.
In response to a legal petition from IFAW and a coalition of animal welfare and conservation organizations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting comments on whether to prohibit public contact and close encounters with big cats, bears, and primates. Let your opinion be heard. IFAW rescues and protects animals around the world. Your actions can make a difference, too. Tell the USDA to ban public handling of big cats, bears, and primates. Wild animals should remain wild. There is no reason why any member of the public should ever have direct contact with wild animals and their cubs. Please urge the USDA to act quickly to ban this cruel and dangerous practice. Thank you so much for everything you do for animals. | Jeff Flocken IFAW Regional Director, North America | P.S.: The USDA's comment period is open until Oct. 4, so spread the word among your friends who love animals. But don't delay. We need to tell the USDA to ban this kind of cruelty. |
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