We want to call your attention to a proposed Federal law that would take away your right to keep certain animals. We are a nonprofit group of hundreds of citizens from all walks of life. The Federal Government does not have the authority to regulate animals that are not involved in interstate commerce. This proposed law would further erode your State's rights and your personal freedoms granted by the US Constitution. 

Initially the list of restricted animals would include any member of the cat family except the house cat, as well as dogs with any wolf blood in their line. But if the bill becomes law, any member of the dog family may become restricted at a later date by The Secretary of Agriculture with no congressional involvement. Therefore, now is the only time you will have to voice your opinion to your elected officials. 

In addition the bill would also restrict several other families of animals considered "exotic". The goal of the bill seems to restrict any animal that "is not normally kept in the personal possession of any person". Restricting a citizen from the companionship of an animal because a majority of persons do not possess them is un-American. 

The fact is no nationwide problem currently exists, therefore why pass a nationwide law? The proponents of the bill can only cite a few examples of problems. Nearly all owners of the animals in question love their pets and take good care of them without incident. 

Proponents are trying to make the bill appear to be on behalf of animal welfare, so that caring animal lovers cannot disagree with it. Although they have named the proposed bill The Shambala Wild Animal Protection Act 2000, it specifically outlines criteria for the euthanasia of certain animals whose owners can't afford the very expensive requirements of this law. 

The proponents of this bill are only a small minority. They honestly feel that all animals belong in the wild or in one of the wildlife sanctuaries from which this small minority makes their living. The owners of the wildlife sanctuaries who are championing this bill will be allowed to keep their animals and as many of yours for which they have the room. The rest will have to be euthanized. 

If the law is passed you will be treated as guilty until proven innocent. If one of the restricted animals is a member of your family you will have to surrender them to the US Government. Because there is practically no room available at wildlife sanctuaries, your pet will most likely be destroyed. If you don't surrender them you can apply for a permit to keep them, but you only have 30 days from the time the law goes into effect to apply. 

The application process is very expensive but the exact cost will not be disclosed until after the law is passed. It will likely be too expensive for most pet owners and they will be forced to surrender the pets they love to be euthanized. 

Even after all the required fees, bonds, and insurance are paid there is still no guarantee a permit will be issued to you. It is solely at the discretion of The Secretary of Agriculture, a US Government bureaucrat who does not have to issue the permit if he doesn't want to. 

The law would automatically prohibit certain animals but would not compel the Secretary to issue any permits at all. He has already made his feelings about large exotic cats known. He says he "believes that only qualified, trained professionals should keep these animals" in the USDA APHIS Miscellaneous Publication No. 1560. 

If your initial application is denied, an appeal will not bring back an animal that is dead--even if the appeal is won. For a single, appointed government employee to have such power over the lives of the pets we consider family members is un-American. 

We need your help. Here is what we hope you will join us in doing to stop this unconstitutional and un-American bill from becoming law: 

Contact your State and US legislators and ask them to carefully read all bills regarding animals and to vote NO on bills that would take away your State's rights with a National permit system. The most well-known Nationally proposed bill is the Shambala Act, but others may go unnoticed and could appear on both the Federal and State level

If you are a member of a group please forward this plea to your group members.

To make it easy for you, we have already composed Stop Shambala Materials to assist you in spreading the word. We can snail mail them to you or you can download and print them yourself.

To find your representative's address call your local Public Library, the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or visit http://www.congress.org

Phoenix Exotic Wildlife Association, Inc. is a nonprofit group for exotic animal owners. Our supporters come from a wide cross section of individuals and groups from across America, including: 

Advertising Executive, Biologist, Business owners, Candidate for State office, Captive Hoof stock Rancher, Chamber of Commerce Board Member, Environmentalist, Executives, Farmers, Firemen, Former Commissioner of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, IT Computer Professional, Minister, Newspaper Editor, Policemen, Profit and Nonprofit Corporate Board members, Retirees, US Government employee, and USDA license holders. 

But we all have one thing in common… we are all voters.

The Shambala Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives as HR 5057 by Rep Tom Lantos on July 27, 2000.  It was referred to the House Agriculture Committee the same day, then referred to the
subcommittee on Fisheries & Wildlife on August 8, 2000.

The bill can be viewed at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/
by searching for the bill number, HR 5057

Word has it that Senator John McCain plans to introduce a duplicate Shamballa Act in the Senate this Session.  Phoneix sent a mailing of the flier, postcard and a letter to each member of the Senate on September 15th.  In this mailing we were able to include two seperate sheets containing independent comments from ten other groups and individuals stating their views.