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A House bill passed out of committee this week that would prohibit direct contact with lions, tigers and bears in Indiana.
The Cub Protection Act bill was heard in the House Natural Resources Committee.
The bill’s author, State Rep. David Abbott (R- Rome City) said the main emphasis of the bill is to prevent close contact with the public.
“Breeding bears and big cats to produce for temporary use and public handling, such as roadside zoos is bad,” Abbott said. “It’s bad for the animals and can be in some cases slightly harmful to humans.”
House Bill 1398 will be heard on the Indiana House Floor Thursday afternoon.
Last year, a similar bill that prohibited direct contact with the public and dangerous animals and private possession of dangerous wild animals was heard in committee, but did not get a vote.
States including Kansas, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia prohibit public contact with bears and/or big cats.
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