Tagged: exotic animals

A newly formed board created by Ohio's law on exotic animals has set temporary rules for cage sizes and caretaking of the dangerous wildlife.

The Dangerous and Restricted Animals Advisory Board met for the first time Wednesday to establish interim housing rules for regulated animals, such as alligators, cougars and lions. A legislative panel would have to approve the rules.

An Ohio House committee has approved legislation outlining new regulations on exotic animal ownership, paving the way for a full House vote on the measure.

The Senate passed the bill last month. The Columbus Dispatch reports a House panel made several changes before approving it in a 17-4 vote late Wednesday.

The bill now includes more monkeys on the list of creatures that would have to be registered. It also says the authority to expand the list of restricted species would go to the Legislature instead of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Ohio officials are considering the request of an animal owner's widow for the return of five exotic animals that survived an October release.

The state Agriculture Department meets today to review Marian Thompson's appeal of a state-issued quarantine of the animals.

Officials are expected to defend the state's authority to hold them on suspicion of infectious diseases.