This is Important!

The Honorable United States House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515

Re: Shambala Wild Animal Protection Act of 2000

Dear Representative

I am writing to request that you co-sponsor the Shambala Wild Animal Protection Act of 2000, a measure to safeguard the public from the improper selling, transporting, or keeping of exotic and wild animals throughout the United States.

This legislation is needed to protect the public from exotic and wild animals who are sold irresponsibly as pets. It prevents certain kinds of cruel and unsportsmanlike treatment of exotic animals and establishes a permit process to assure that the owners of exotic and wild animals are properly equipped to handle and care for them.

A number of states currently have laws regulating the selling and keeping of exotic animals, such as big cats. But where regulations exist, an unethical breeder can simply move to another state to sell wild animals as "pets" to unsuspecting members of the public. When the animal grows larger and becomes dangerous or unmanageable, the desperate owners may euthanize their "pet". Or they may turn a magnificent animal over to a canned hunt farm, which are legal in many states, where "hunters" pay a large fee to shoot the captive, helpless animal at close range as a "trophy."

The text of the proposed bill is available for your review on the web site of the Shambala Preserve at http://www.shambala.org. Please contact the bill's sponsor, Representative Lantos of California, to indicate you will co-sponsor the act. I would appreciate receiving a statement of your views after you have considered the measure.

Sincerely,

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