This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
On Christmas Day, the same day a boy was killed by an escaped tiger in California, another tiger was found shot to death alongside an apartment complex in Dallas, Texas. This tragedy would never have happened if Congress had enacted the proposed Haley's Act (H.R. 1947) when it was first introduced two years ago.
This shooting of a tiger in Dallas is proof of the poor care these backyard animals get. Once pet tigers and the like become a burden (which they almost always do, since people have no experience nor idea what they are getting into), their owners dispose of them in horrible ways, or leave them abandoned to starve.
Exotic cats do not belong in backyard cages They belong in accredited zoos and ethical sanctuaries where experienced keepers and veterinarians can care for them. We must stamp out backyard breeding and private ownership of exotic cats.
Please tell our senators and congressmen to make the Haley's Act a priority this year.
Stephanie Jochum-Natt
Salt Lake City
