*8/27/15 UPDATE: the Missoula City Council voted to approve an amended ordinance (see attached).  The language will still ban exotic animal displays and performances.  A second reading of the ordinance will be Monday, September 14.  If passed, the ban would become effective on July 1, 2016.**

The city of Missoula, MT is considering an ordinance which would prohibit displays or performances with wild or exotic animals.  The ordinance lists chimpanzees, monkeys, big cats, bears, and elephants among the prohibited animals.  (See attached document with ordinance language.)

Please contact the Missoula City Council members with a short e-mail, phone call, or letter to let them know you OPPOSE this ordinance.  Encourage your friends and family to do the same – especially those who live in Montana or who have been to a circus or any sort of animal exhibit in Missoula.  Contact information for the City Council members is listed below.  Sample talking points for your correspondence are also included at the end of this alert, but please use your own words and your own experiences as a supporter of exotic animal displays/performances to politely express your opposition to this ordinance. 

Thank you!

Missoula, MT City Council

General email for all Council members: council@ci.missoula.mt.us 

Website with agendas, supporting documents, and links to individual Council members:

http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/314/City-Council  

Mailing Address: 435 Ryman Street, Missoula, MT 59802 

Phone: (406) 552-6079 

City Council members (12 total): 

Marilyn Marler, President            mmarler@ci.missoula.mt.us                       (406) 544-7189

Bryan von Lossberg                         bvonlossberg@ci.missoula.mt.us             (406) 285-1857

Jason Wiener                                     jwiener@ci.missoula.mt.us                         (406) 542-3232

Adam Hertz                                        ahertz@ci.missoula.mt.us                            (406) 239-1865

Jordan Hess                                        jhess@ci.missoula.mt.us                              (406) 552-4050

Alex Taft                                              ataft@ci.missoula.mt.us                               (406) 218-8438

Emily Bentley                                     ebentley@ci.missoula.mt.us                      (406) 546-6552

Jon Wilkins                                          jwilkins@ci.missoula.mt.us                          (406) 543-7952

Patrick Weasel Head                       pweaselhead@ci.missoula.mt.us             (406) 370-6122

Annelise Hedahl                               ahedahl@ci.missoula.mt.us                        (406) 546-6979

Mike O'Herron                                  moherron@ci.missoula.mt.us                    (406) 240-4199

Ed Childers                                          echilders@ci.missoula.mt.us                      (406) 728-3751

Sample Talking Points

The following are suggestions for your correspondence in Missoula, but please use your own words, and you do not need to include every bullet point.  Please keep all correspondence respectful.

·         Politely tell the Missoula City Council that you are OPPOSED to the exotic animal ordinance and any measure that would prevent circuses and other exotic animal exhibitors from visiting Missoula.

·         Circus animals and other performing animals are well cared for and generally are healthier and live longer than their counterparts in zoos.

·         True animal experts know that a safe and secure environment is the only acceptable and successful method of training and handling any animal, including exotic and performing animals.

·         If any animal is being mistreated in any environment, then the right answer is to enforce existing laws and regulations to punish bad actors, as opposed to punishing an entire industry and the public who enjoy exotic animal displays.

·         Proponents of performing animal bans mischaracterize or misunderstand the facts about the training and handling of performing animals. Most of the organizations that advocate such bans do so as part of a larger, animal rights agenda which opposes all or most human interaction with animals.