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CWAPC Announcement: October 16, 2002 In February 2002, a woman was attacked and bitten on the head by a 750-pound tiger in Florida. During the month of September 2002, a 6-year-old child was mauled by a tiger at a school in California, four African lions on the loose in a residential neighborhood were shot and killed in Arkansas, and a Bengal tiger was shot and killed after escaping from a wooden transport trailer at a truck stop in Illinois. And just last week, a 70-year-old man was attacked by a Tiger in New Jersey. The Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition, (CWAPC) a new consortium of zoo professionals, sanctuary operators, and animal protection groups, is turning the spotlight on the issue of dangerous wild animals as pets. The Coalition believes that the problem is spiraling out of control. Experts estimate that there are more tigers in the United States, many kept in substandard and inhumane conditions, than there are living wild in Asia. CWAPC warns members of the public to never buy wild animals to keep as pets and urges local legislators to join the growing list of communities banning the private ownership of dangerous, exotic animals. The desire of some citizens to own wild animals such as big cats, bears, wolves and even elephants has become big business for the exotic pet industry in the last 20 years. Seduced by advertising, feature films and TV shows that depict these and other exotic animals as companion animals; encouraged by low costs and easy availability, and undeterred by weak legislative controls, some people believe it safe and acceptable to keep a tiger in the living room or a lion in the basement. "It would be bad enough if these incidents took place in India, Africa or other countries where these large and dangerous wild animals naturally roam," says CWAPC Manager Kim K. Haddad, DVM. "But tragedies like these are taking place at an accelerated pace all over the United States." CWAPC is conducting research to quantify the extent of the problem, developing educational and media programs, and is supporting measures such as The Captive Wildlife Safety Act, (HR5226 & S3038) that would ban interstate shipments of lions, tigers, bears and other dangerous exotic animals for purposes of keeping them as private pets. CWAPC is comprised of more than 20 internationally recognized animal welfare organizations including: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Association of Sanctuaries, Born Free Foundation UK, and USA, Friends of Folsom Zoo/Sanctuary, The Fund for Animals, The Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Kimya, Marin Humane Society, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Performing Animal Welfare Society, ZooMontana Science and Conservation Center.
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