East Wenatchee Bans Possession Or Use Of Exotic And Wild Animals

The use and possession of exotic and wild animals will be banned in East Wenatchee after a 4-2 vote by the city council to enact the restriction Tuesday night. 

The new ordinance is mainly aimed at traveling circuses, which have been accused of abusing and mistreating the animals. 

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Council member Robert Tidd says it's time to stop letting circuses mistreat animals for profit. 

"We have to draw the line somewhere," said Tidd. "Wenatchee's drawn the line. I think that we should also follow suit." 

Wenatchee passed a similar ordinance in April after complaints by a local animal rights group and some citizens. 

East Wenatchee council member Christine Johnson opposed the measure Tuesday night, saying it infringes on the rights of residents.  

“I get why it’s upsetting to people, I do get that,” said Johnson. “But I don’t like the inference that we’re telling people what they can and can’t have.” 

Councilors discussed a resident who had owned tortoises for years. Tortoises are banned under the new ordinance and the resident will not be allowed to keep the reptile, according to Mayor Jerrilea Crawford’s reading of the ordinance Tuesday night.  

The ordinance will not impact accredited educational activities featuring wild animals and is not applicable to domestic pets or farm animals, including cats, dogs, cattle, horses, etc. 

The list of wild and exotic animals specifically outlined in the ban includes primates like apes and monkeys; large reptiles such as alligators and crocodiles; lions, tigers, and other big cats; elephants; bears; and marsupials. 

Passage of the new ordinance in Wenatchee came as the Jordan World Circus was performing the first of two scheduled shows at the Town Toyota Center. 

The group North Central Washington for Animal Compassion was vocal in its opposition to the use of exotic and wild animals by circuses. 

In January, the group successfully lobbied the Greater Wenatchee Regional Public Facilities District (PFD), which oversees the operations and finances of Town Toyota Center, to temporarily ban all animals from performing at the circus.