URL: http://www.news-herald.com/general-news/20141215/willowick-city-council-to-have-first-reading-banning-wild-exotic-animals-from-coming-into-city

The News-Herald (http://www.news-herald.com)

Willowick City Council to have first reading banning wild, exotic animals from coming into city

By Amy Popik, The News-Herald

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Willowick City Council, at its next regular meeting Dec. 16, will have a first reading on an ordinance that could put a stop to the yearly circus in the city.

The ordinance that Council will be asked to consider would ban wild and exotic animals in circuses and traveling shows from coming into the city.

If passed, it would be an amendment to Chapter 505 of the codified ordinances of the city titled “Animals and Fowls.”

Service, Utilities and Public Lands Chairman and Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Malta said his committee voted 3-0 to have the ordinance on the agenda for council to consider.

“We considered what resident Melissa Shy presented to us so that’s why we are having council consider it,” he said. “I’m assuming it will go through all three readings because it is an important issue.”

It is not expected to be voted on after the first reading.

He added that everyone on Council attended the committee meeting, besides recently appointed Ward 3 Councilman Bob Reho, has received information and are able to form their own decisions on the topic.

The Service, Utilities and Public Lands Committee met Nov. 19 to hear the community’s opinion on a possible circus ban.

This discussion was sparked by Shy, who drafted an ordinance to ban wild and exotic animals from performing in the city and presented it to council in October.

“When you bring the circus to the city, you are telling the residents that it is safe and it is humane, and that is simply a lie,” she said during the committee meeting. “The animals are abused in every sense of the word. Not only are you endorsing a cruel, inhumane and outdated event, the liability issues are reasonable and justifiable.”

The Kelly Miller Circus, founded in 1938 and based in Oklahoma, has been coming to Willowick for over 10 years.

Kelly Miller Circus General Manager Jim Royal, when contacted before the committee meeting, said the animals and the circus-going experience are safe.

“All the alleged cruel and mistreatment of animals in the circus that is found online is distortion and lies that spread very fast,” he said. “In Willowick, we are in a public park, people are able to see how we treat the animals and how careful the handlers are at all times. We are also inspected by the building, police, health and safety departments; animal welfare organizations; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We are a law-abiding organization.”

Local Lions clubs, Rotary clubs, cities and recreation departments sponsor the circus, he added.

“None of them would have anything to do with a company that would mistreat or abuse animals, or have us back year after year if we did such a thing,” Royal said.

Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. on the second floor of City Hall, 30435 Lake Shore Blvd. The public is welcome to attend.

URL: http://www.news-herald.com/general-news/20141215/willowick-city-council-to-have-first-reading-banning-wild-exotic-animals-from-coming-into-city

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