House unanimously approves big cat legislation

Suzanne Struglinski

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2003 | 10:02 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The House on Wednesday unanimously approved a bill that would restrict ownership and sales of tigers, lions and other big cats by unqualified people, but the legislation needs a little more work before it can go to the president.

By a 419-0 vote, the House approved the bill by Rep. Howard 'Buck' McKeon, R-Calif., which was similar one by Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign's bill. It bans shipments of large felines across state lines to anyone other than zoos, exhibitors and those certified to handle and care for the animals.

The Senate passed Ensign's version on Oct. 31. Ensign's spokesman Jack Finn said today that some minor "tweaking" needs to be done to the House version before it is finalized and sent to the White House.

Wayne Pacelle, senior vice president of the Humane Society of the United States said the Senate will offer minor amendments to the House bill, making technical changes to clarify language in the potential law. Pacelle said the Senate will most likely make the changes, revote on the bill and then pass it back to the House for a final vote to sent it to President Bush.

"There are at least two more steps and we are hoping it all can happen before adjournment," Pacelle said.

Congress was supposed to adjourn Friday night but may wind up working through the weekend, officials have said.

In the Senate version of the bill, there is a specific exemption allowing humane societies to take care of tigers but the House bill does not contain the language.

Pacelle said it was a technical and not a substantive issue since the House version could be interpreted to include humane societies but he would prefer the explicit exemption.

He explained that in cases where large cats are confiscated from owners who lack the proper credentials or from sanctuaries that are shut down, human societies need to be able to take the animals until they can be placed in a proper setting.

A McKeon aide said the usual next step of a formal conference on a bill would not take place for this legislation but that the minor changes would be worked out. He was not sure when the next steps on the bills would begin.