The Pennsylvania Game Commission is altering rules about how wild animals in captivity can be made available for public interaction.
After the operator of a menagerie requested that restrictions be relaxed, the commission has given preliminary approval to a plan to allow additional types of animals to have contact with people.
Wildlife will now be placed into one of three categories which have different rules about if and when they can be removed from cages to have contact with the public.
Animals such as cattle, sheep, antelopes, deer, and giraffes will be allowed to be moved from cages for public contact with no restrictions. Animals like bears, big cats, dogs, and primates must stay in cages with no public contact. All other wildlife not in the first two categories can be exposed to the public as long as a handler is in immediate control.
Final approval of this change will be voted on at the Commission’s April meeting.