More than 400 iguanas (half of whom died) had been left in shipping crates for about two weeks without food or water because of a canceled order. Global Exotics resulted in a raid of the dealer’s Arlington, Texas, warehouse and the seizure of more than 27,000 animals who had been subjected to crowded living conditions, poor ventilation, and a lack of food, water, and basic care. 6Įxotic animals can suffer further at the hands of dealers who sell to pet stores and zoos. 5 Their chances of survival? “We have a mortality of about 80 or 90 percent,” says a German customs agent. 4 In one case, a man who was arrested at the Los Angeles airport had Asian leopard cats in a backpack, birds of paradise in additional luggage, and pygmy monkeys in his underwear.
3 Baby turtles have been taped so that they are trapped inside their shells and shoved by the dozen into tube socks, and infant pythons have been shipped in CD cases. Parrots might have their beaks and feet taped and be stuffed into plastic tubes that can easily be hidden in luggage, and stolen bird and reptile eggs are concealed in special vests so that couriers can bypass X-ray machines at airports. When trappers take animals away from their natural habitats, the animals often change hands several times through intermediaries and exporters, and they endure grueling transport conditions. The few laws and penalties that do exist hardly dissuade dealers in light of the money that can be made from smuggling: Prices on animals’ heads range from tens of thousands of dollars for a hyacinth macaw to a few bucks for a giant cockroach. The journey for many of these animals begins in places like Australia, Africa, and the jungles of Brazil. The exotic animal trade is also deadly for animals we don’t see: For every animal who makes it to the store or the auction, countless others die along the way.Īnimals Suffer During Capture and Transport Earlier this spring Senator Holmes was the chief sponsor of a law requiring research institutions to have adoption plans in place for healthy dogs and cats used in scientific research.When people succumb to the temptation to purchase “exotic” animals such as hedgehogs, macaws, lizards, and monkeys-even tigers and bears-from stores, auctions, or the Internet in order to keep them as “pets,” it often leads to pain and death for these animals, who can easily suffer from malnutrition, loneliness, and the overwhelming stress of confinement to an unnatural and uncomfortable environment. These initiatives include increased penalties for individuals caught sponsoring animal fighting, efforts to expand humane feral cat population control efforts, a ban on circus elephants and tougher punishments for those who abuse animals. As a former docent to the Brookfield Zoo and an active supporter of the Sierra Club and the National Anti-Vivisection Society, Senator Holmes has brought forth pragmatic legislation designed to protect animals and the environment. She currently serves on a number of nationally recognized boards and commissions and was the first female president of the Chicagoland Chapter of the National Association of the Remodelling Industry.
Prior to being elected senator, Holmes served for two years on the Kane County Board, ousting a 24-year incumbent. As a former small business owner, Holmes brings a business-conscious perspective to the legislature, ensuring that state government protects the hardworking people of Illinois. She was elected to represent the 42nd district of Illinois in 2006. This session Senator Holmes has ended the inhumane puppy mill practice here in Illinois. Senator Holmes has sponsored and passed countless measures protecting animals, such as, banning the sale of exotic animal parts, prohibiting the use of wild and exotic animals in traveling circuses and even preventing animal abusers from owning an animal.
Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) has been a leader in the fight to make Illinois one of the most humane states in the nation.
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