,i  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #debe  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,april #cj1 #bjad    
,mr4 ,moran 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,jones1  
,mr4 ,johnson of ,georgia1 ,ms4 ,chu1   
,mr4 ,schiff1 and ,mr4 ,crdenas7        
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on          
,agriculture  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the  
,animal ,welfare ,act to restrict the   
use of exotic and non-domesticated      
animals in traveling circuses and       
exhibitions4  #a4 ,short title ,this    
,act may be cited as the ,traveling     
,exotic ,animal ,protection ,act4  #b4  
,findings ,congress finds that--  7#a7  
traveling circuses are detrimental to   
animal welfare due to the adverse       
effects of captivity and transport2     
7#b7 due to severe confinement1 lack of 
free exercise1 and the restriction of   
natural behaviors1 animals used in      
circuses suffer and are prone to health1
 behavioral1 and psychological problems2
  7#c7 the tricks that exotic and       

non-domesticated animals are forced to  
perform require extreme physical        
coercion techniques1 including the      
restriction of food1 the use of elephant
 hooks 7objects used to control and     
punish elephants71 electric shocks1     
metal bars1 whips1 and other forms of   
physical abuse2  7#d7 the welfare of    
animals subject to the conditions in    
traveling circuses1 such as constant    
travel1 limited facilities1 long periods
 of restriction of movement1 stress1 and
 physical coercion1 will inevitably be  
compromised1 which can lead to increased
 risks to public safety2  7#e7 animals  
in traveling circuses pose an additional
 risk to public safety because such     
animals have wild instincts and needs   
and have demonstrated unpredictability2 
7#f7 the use of collapsible1 temporary  
facilities in traveling circuses        
increases the risk of escaping exotic   
and non-domesticated animals seriously  
harming workers and the public2  7#g7   
traveling circuses bring people         

dangerously close to exotic and         
non-domesticated animals by displaying  
animals in inappropriate1 uncontrolled  
areas that are not suited for the       
exhibition of such animals2  7#h7 it is 
not possible to provide exotic and      
non-domesticated animals with facilities
 sufficient to maintain the optimum     
physical and mental health of the       
animals because of the suffering caused 
to the animals by the nature of         
circuses1 in which restriction of       
movement1 separation from natural       
groupings1 restriction of food and      
water1 and physical abuse are prevalent2
  7#i7 due to the mobile and transitory 
nature of traveling circuses1 law       
enforcement authorities cannot properly 
monitor the conditions of the animals or
 follow up on previous infractions by   
traveling circuses2 and  7#aj7          
restricting the use of exotic and       
non-domesticated animals in circuses is 
the most cost-effective and efficient   
way to safeguard both animal welfare and

 public safety4  #c4 ,use of exotic or  
wild animals in traveling circuses and  
exhibitions ,section #ac of the ,animal 
,welfare ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #badc7 is   
amended by adding at the end the        
following new subsection3  7i7  7#a7 ,no
 exhibitor may allow for the            
participation of an exotic or wild      
animal 7including a non-human primate7  
in an animal act if1 during the #ae-;day
 period preceding such participation1   
such animal was traveling in a mobile   
housing facility4  7#b7 ,the restriction
 under paragraph 7#a7 shall not apply to
 the use of an exotic or wild animal    
7including a non-human primate7--  7,a7 
in an exhibition at a non-mobile1       
permanent institution or facility1      
including an accredited zoo or aquarium2
  7,b7 as part of an outreach program   
for educational or conservation purposes
 by an accredited zoo or aquarium1 if   
the animal used for such purposes is not
 kept in a mobile housing facility for  
more than #ab hours a day2  7,c7 by a   

university1 college1 laboratory1 or     
other research facility registered with 
the ,secretary pursuant to section #f2  
7,d7 in film1 television1 or advertising
 if such use does not involve a live    
public exhibition2 or  7,e7 in a rodeo4 
7#c7 ,a traveling circus or exhibitor   
that fails to comply with this          
subsection shall be subject to the      
penalties provided for under section    
#ai4  4  #d4 ,effective date ,the       
amendments made by this ,act shall take 
effect on the date that is one year     
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act4