I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1947 

To promote public safety and improve the welfare of captive big cats, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 19, 2007 

Mrs. BOYDA of Kansas (for herself, Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Mr. MORAN of 

Kansas, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. GEORGE

MILLER of California, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, and Mr. 

STARK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To promote public safety and improve the welfare of captive 

big cats, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as ‘‘Haley’s Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. BIG CATS. 

6 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2 of the Animal Welfare 

7 Act (7 U.S.C. 2132) is amended by adding at the end the 

8 following new subsections: 


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1 ‘‘(p) The term ‘big cat’ means any live species of lion, 

2 tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid 

3 of such species. 

4 ‘‘(q) The term ‘direct contact’ means any situation 

5 in which an individual may potentially touch or otherwise 

6 come into physical contact with any live specimen of a spe7 cies.’’. 

8 (b) APPLICABILITY OF STATE LAW.—Section 3 of 

9 such Act (7 U.S.C. 2133) is amended by adding at the 

10 end the following: ‘‘The Secretary may deny or revoke a 

11 license based on a recommendation from the appropriate 

12 State or local officials with jurisdiction over captive wild13 life.’’ 

14 (c) PUBLIC SAFETY.—Section 13(a)(2) of such Act 

15 (7 U.S.C. 2143(a)(2)) is amended— 

16 (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

17 the end; 

18 (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the final 

19 period and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

20 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub21 paragraph: 

22 ‘‘(C) to provide for public safety.’’. 

23 (d) INCREASED FINES.—Section 19 of such Act (7 

24 U.S.C. 2149) is amended— 

25 (1) in subsection (b)— 


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1 (A) in the first sentence, by striking 

2 ‘‘$2,500’’ and inserting ‘‘$10,000’’; and 

3 (B) in the seventh sentence, by striking 

4 ‘‘shall be subject to’’ and all that follows 

5 through ‘‘each offense’’ and inserting ‘‘shall be 

6 subject to a civil penalty of $5,000 for each of7 fense’’ ; and 

8 (2) in subsection (d) in the first sentence, by 

9 striking ‘‘$2,500’’ and inserting ‘‘$10,000’’. 

10 (e) PROHIBITION ON DIRECT CONTACT WITH BIG

11 CATS.—Such Act is further amended by adding at the end 

12 the following new section: 

13 ‘‘SEC. 30. PROHIBITION ON DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN 

14 PUBLIC AND BIG CATS. 

15 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), it shall 

16 be unlawful for an exhibitor or dealer licensed by the Sec17 retary under this Act to allow direct contact between a 

18 big cat and a member of the public. 

19 ‘‘(b) EXCEPTION.— 

20 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) shall not 

21 apply to an exhibitor that is a zoo, as determined by 

22 the Secretary. 

23 ‘‘(2) CONSIDERATION OF ACCREDITATION.—In 

24 determining whether an exhibitor is a zoo under 

25 paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider— 


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1 ‘‘(A) whether the exhibitor is accredited 

2 by, and in good standing with, the Association 

3 of Zoos and Aquariums; and 

4 ‘‘(B) whether the exhibitor operates with 

5 sufficient regard for public safety.’’. 

6 (f) REGULATIONS.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec9 retary of Agriculture shall issue regulations pursu10 ant to section 21 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 

11 U.S.C. 2151) to implement the amendments made 

12 by this Act. 

13 (2) RESTRICTION ON LICENSES.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agri15 culture may not grant a license under section 3 

16 of such Act to a dealer or exhibitor that pos17 sesses or intends to possess a big cat until the 

18 regulations described in paragraph (1) have 

19 been issued. 

20 (B) EXCEPTION.—The restriction de21 scribed in subparagraph (A) shall not apply to 

22 the renewal of an existing license. 

Æ 


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