CFA Grassroots

Prohibit Circuses from Displaying or Exhibiting Wild and Exotic Animals

In the materials provided to the City by the citizen group, the intention for prohibiting

circuses with wild and exotic animal performances was to promote protection and

prevent exploitation of these animals by prohibiting them from being used for public

entertainment or amusement. Circuses that recently held performances in Irvine have

not included wild or exotic animals.

Should the City Council adopt the proposed ordinance, no circuses will be permitted to

display, exhibit or use any wild or exotic animal in its performances. As this regulatory

language only pertains to circuses, activities such as camel rides at festivals and wild

animal or reptile shows including snakes, exotic birds and the like are not subject to the

proposed ordinance and are currently permitted and regulated by the City's Animal

Services Division. Other animal exhibits, including pony rides and farm animal petting

zoos, are also currently permitted and regulated, and not impacted by the proposed

ordinance since these animals are defined as domestic by the Code.

The existing Irvine Municipal Code defines a circus as "a commercial variety show

featuring animal acts for public entertainment." The Code also defines wild and exotic

animals as "animals normally found in the wild state which are being kept for exhibition

purposes or as private pets." These definitions are not changed in the proposed

Legislation that bans wild and exotic animal performances in circuses and/or traveling

animal exhibitions is found in nearby cities such as Pasadena, Encinitas, and Rohnert

Park and globally in China, Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Staff recommends the City Council approve an ordinance that prohibits circuses from

displaying or exhibiting wild or exotic animals for public entertainment, amusement or

Text of proposed ordinance:

The City Council of the City of Irvine DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Short title. This Ordinance shall be known as the Animal Welfare

Ordinance.

SECTION 2. Purpose. This Ordinance is intended to ratify and memorialize the City's

commitment to the humane treatment of animals within the City.

SECTION 3. Findings and declarations. The City Council finds and declares:

A. The City of Irvine is recognized as a humane and animal friendly city. It is

known for its nationally recognized animal care facility and standards of practice relating to

animals including publicly and privately supported programs that provide extended care to hardto-

adopt animals, animals with medical challenges, and a "third chance" for highly adoptable

animals rescued from other shelters in which the likelihood of euthanasia was imminent.

B. Although the State of California is a leader in regulating animal welfare, the

City of Irvine sets for itself a higher standard to prevent the possibility of abuse, neglect and

cruelty towards animals.

C. The residents of Irvine, as responsible pet owners who, when made aware of

the benefits of spaying and neutering dogs will undertake this method of population control for

their own dogs to help decrease the possibility of accidental breeding, overcrowding at animal

shelters and, to a certain extent, euthanasia rates in Irvine and Orange County.

D. It is important to protect the public against hazards that wild and exotic

animals used in entertainment pose to society, and to protect wild and exotic animals from

inhumane treatment.

E. While not all retail stores that sell dogs and cats, circuses that have wild and

exotic animals, and rodeos engage in practices that could be considered inhumane, the current

state of these industries in the City is inconsistent with the City's goal to be a community that

cares about animal welfare.

SECTION 6. Section 4-5-1112, to be entitled "Prohibition on circuses displaying or

exhibiting wild or exotic animal acts," is hereby added to the Irvine Municipal Code to read in its

entirety as follows:

Sec. 4-5-1112. Prohibition on circuses displaying or exhibiting wild or exotic animal

acts.

No person shall sponsor, conduct, operate, or participate in a circus that offers for

display or exhibit any wild or exotic animal acts for public entertainment, amusement or

benefit on public or private property within the City.