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By Jo Ingles COLUMBUS, Ohio (Reuters) - Ohio Governor John Kasich signed intolaw on Tuesday new state restrictions on the ownership of exotic animals following the slaughter last year of dozens of wild animals freedby a man before he committed suicide. Until now, Ohio had no restriction on the ownership of exoticanimals such as the lions, tigers, leopards, monkeys and bearsTerry Thompson released from his farm near Zanesville last October. In the surreal, tragic incident, authorities gunned down most ofthe 56 animals in a shoot-to-kill hunt through Ohio farmland afterfinding Thompson dead and numerous empty cages. In all, forty-nine of the animals were shot dead, one was presumedeaten by another and the other six were taken to the Columbus Zoo,where a leopard later died. Last month, the zoo was forced to handback the five surviving animals - a spotted leopard, a blackleopard, a brown bear and two Celebes macaque monkeys - toThompson's widow, Marian. Ohio was one of a handful of states with no restriction on theownership of wild, exotic animals and local officials have beenpressing for new rules ever since. The law, signed by the governoron Tuesday, was approved by lawmakers last month. Kasich said Ohio officials found the lack of rules governing exoticanimal ownership in the state was a problem beyond the county whereThompson had his farm. "Ohio really was the Wild, Wild West," Kasich told a newsconference. "We had virtually no rules and no regulations in termsof all this." The law, which takes effect on September 3, bans new ownership ofsome animals like big cats, bears, and some reptiles. Currentowners may keep the animals if they meet conditions that includeobtaining state permits, carrying liability insurance and havingcertain types of cages. Attempts to craft legislation to restrict ownership of the animalsdrew criticism from private owners as too tough and from animalrights activists as too weak. In the end, lawmakers compromised by removing some species of smallmonkeys and lemurs from the restricted list, and reducing theamount of insurance a private owner must carry. Joe Schreibvogel, president of the United States ZoologicalAssociation, said he and other opponents of the law planned to filea legal challenge. Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the UnitedStates, supported the law and said he hoped the Ohio incident wouldserve as a warning to states that have few rules protecting exoticanimals and public safety. (Reporting by Jo Ingles; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and SandraMaler). We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Hot Yoga Clothes , Outdoor Cap Headwear for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Sublimated Cycling Wear.
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