Ohio Governor Orders Ban on Ownership of Wild Animals as Pets

Ted Strickland

Recently, current Ohio governor Ted Strickland ordered a ban on exotic pets in one of the few states without such a restriction. Governor Strickland's new executive order called for a ban on future breeding, sale, trade, barter, and ownership of wild animals. This order not only meant that people will not be allowed to keep wild animals as pets, but also those who already own the animals will be barred from breeding or selling them to clients. Governor Strickland, in his statement, also added that it will keep the state's agriculture industry profitable while appropriately updating standards for animal care. But most importantly, the ban will protect people from serious injuries and deaths caused by captive wild animals. The most recent case occurred in August 2010 when an animal trainer was mauled to death by a black bear in Lorain County. Strickland, who will be completing his term as Ohio's governor by Monday, stated that that this executive order will only be effective for three months. However, governor-elect John Kasich stated that he supports this ban, which will be carried out by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Wildlife.

I'm very proud to see that Governor Strickland has issued this order before the end of his term. Also, I'm happy to see that Mr. Kasich, who will soon be Ohio's next governor, is supporting this order. In my opinion, this article shows that Ohio has finally put its foot down in order to prevent further conflicts between people and wildlife. Many of these animals are deprived of their freedom, and are kept confined in cages with hardly any space to move around. This confinement causes them to turn against their "masters." This explains why that animal trainer was unfortunate enough to be attacked and killed by his bear. I also hope that with Mr. Kasich as Ohio's governor, the state will place stronger restrictions on ownership of exotic pets. This is because it is not just animals that are at risk, but people are too from injuries, death, and even diseases.

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