Local Bans on Animal Acts in the United States

Pasadena, Calif.; Encinitas, Calif.; Stamford, Conn.; Hollywood, Fla.; Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.; Quincy, Mass.; Revere, Mass.; Provincetown, Mass.; Takoma Park, Md.; Port Townsend, Wash.; Braintree, Mass.; Boulder, Colo.; Orange County, N.C.; Estes Park, Colo.; and Redmond, Wash.

Pompano Beach, Fla.; Tallahassee, Fla.; Collinsville, Ill.; Woodstock, Ill.; Jefferson County, Ky; and Southhampton, N.Y.

Cedarburg, Wis., requires a criminal background check on all circus employees.

In Delaware, no public contact between the public and dangerous or exotic animals (including photo sessions and elephant or camel rides) is permitted.
In Florida, direct contact between big cats and the public is severely restricted.
In Georgia, no public contact between the public and dangerous or exotic animals (including photo sessions and elephant or camel rides) is permitted.
In New Jersey, no direct contact between the public and bears or big cats (including photo shoots) is permitted.
In New York, no contact between the public and venomous reptiles is permitted.
In Pennsylvania, no contact between the public and dangerous animals (excluding chimpanzees and elephants) is permitted.
In Tennessee, no public contact with dangerous or exotic animals (excluding elephants) is permitted.

In Fairfax County and Spotsylvania County, Va., no public contact between animals and people is permitted.
In the town of Wallkill, N.Y., no contact between people and tigers, lions, or bears is permitted.

LOCALITIES WITH RESTRICTIONS ON OR ORDINANCES PROHIBITING SPECIFIC ACTS:

Marin County, Calif., has placed severe restrictions on animal acts.
Oklahoma City, Okla., prohibits nondomestic cats and canines, primates, and bears on display.
Pittsburgh, Pa., prohibits the use of electric prods, bucking straps, or sharpened spurs in rodeos.
St. Charles, Ill., restricts the use of electric prods and requires that a veterinarian be on call at rodeos.
The state of Rhode Island prohibits calf-roping.
The state of South Carolina prohibits public displays of captive dolphins and whales.
The states of Florida and Texas prohibit hog dog rodeos.
The state of California prohibits steer-tailing (grabbing running steers by their tails).
The state of Florida prohibits “bloodless” bullfighting.
Bear-wrestling is illegal in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Cockfighting is illegal in the United States except in Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
Greyhound-racing is illegal in Idaho, Maine, Nevada, North Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
Horse-tripping is illegal in California; Illinois; Maine; Clark County, Nev.; New Mexico; Oklahoma; and Texas.

Australia
Lake Macquarie (prohibits the use of exotic animals in circuses on council land)Canada—19 ordinances in different cities/provinces ban the use of animals in circuses.
Brazil—São Leopoldo
Finland
Colombia—Bogotá
Greece—three municipalities (Thessaloníki, Kalamaria, and Patra)
Israel
Singapore—the ban will go into effect in 2002.
Sweden—prohibits most animal acts, including those using bears, big cats, giraffes, hippopotamuses, monkeys, and rhinoceroses

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