New York Wants Statewide Animal Ban

New York State lawmakers want the Empire State to join other states with statewide animal bans.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey recently signed a law that bans traveling acts like circuses from using elephants, lions, giraffes and other animals in its shows.

Massachusetts Issues Statewide Animal Ban

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The law goes into effect on Jan. 1., 2025. All traveling acts are banned from using elephants, lions, tigers, giraffes and primates for entertainment purposes. Horses, chickens, pigs and rabbits are allowed, according to reports.

Exceptions are made for animals that live at zoos in Massachusetts or filming.

New York Bill Wants To Ban Animals

Similar bans are in place in California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, and New Jersey.

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I was curious if New York State has similar law. As of this writing, a bill is being considered in the New York Legislature that ban some wild animals in circuses or traveling animal acts in New York.

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The bill states:

Prohibits the participation of certain animals in traveling animal acts; prohibits the department of environmental conservation from issuing permits or licenses allowing participation of certain animals in traveling animal acts; excludes certain permanent performing institutions; imposes a civil penalty not to exceed $1000 for a violation

Why Are These Bills Important?

The Animal Legal Defense Fund reports New York State needs "stronger legal protections" for captive wild animals in the Empire State.

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"Animals used for entertainment lead lives of suffering and indignity. Travel, confinement, and being forced to perform unnatural and sometimes painful tricks deprive wild animals of anything that might satisfy their complex physical, behavioral, and emotional needs," the Animal Legal Defense states.

In 2017, New York State passed the Elephant Protection Act. The bill prohibits the use of elephants in entertainment acts in New York State.

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According to the governor’s office, entertainment elephants live half as long as wild elephants due to abusive treatment.

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New York City Bans Wild, Exotic Animals

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In 2017, New York City banned the use of wild and exotic animals in circuses.

Illegal Pets To Own In New York State

Pets Banned in Each State

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

Gallery Credit: Elena Kadvany

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Illegally Imported Meat Products Found In New York

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat meat and poultry products across New York.

These meats were illegally imported from the Philippines. The Philippines is a country not eligible to export meat and poultry products to the United States. FSIS is continuing to investigate how these products entered the country.

The following products are subject to the public health alert:

150-g. can of "Argentina BRAND CORNED BEEF."

175-g. can of "Argentina BRAND CORNED BEEF."

260-g. can of "Argentina BRAND CORNED BEEF."

150-g. can of "PUREFOODS CORNED BEEF."

210-g. can of "PUREFOODS CORNED BEEF."

150-g. can of "CHUNKEE CORNED BEEF."

190-g. can of "CHUNKEE CORNED BEEF."

7.43-oz. jar of "Lady's Choice Chicken Spread."

Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler