Lions, tigers, and bears may be on their way out of Illinois big tops. A Chicago state lawmaker has filed a bill that would expand the state's existing prohibition on elephants in traveling circuses so it also covers big cats, bears and nonhuman primates, sharply limiting what those shows can legally put in the ring.
State Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy, who represents the 14th District on Chicago's North Side, filed an amendment to the Illinois Criminal Code that folds those species into the roster of protected "covered animals." The proposal uses the biological family names Elephantidae, Felidae, and Ursidae and explicitly calls out nonhuman primates, as reported by the Alton Telegraph. The bill states that its protections are "in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws protecting animal welfare," and it makes clear that domestic cats are not on the chopping block.
What's in the proposal
The amendment would add these families to the "covered animals" category that already includes elephants under Illinois criminal penalties. Animal welfare group Four Paws points out that more than 40 countries and nearly 200 localities across dozens of U.S. states have put restrictions or outright bans on wild animals in traveling shows, a statistic advocates lean on as precedent, according to Four Paws. In recent years, several states, including Massachusetts, Maryland, Colorado and Washington, have gone beyond elephant-only rules and extended limits to big cats, bears, or primates.
Illinois' earlier elephant ban
Illinois grabbed a national first in 2017 when it passed the Elephant Protection Act, which barred elephants from traveling acts. That law took effect in early 2018, according to a review by the New York City Bar Association. Cassidy's new measure would extend that original move so big cats, bears, and primates receive similar treatment, bringing Illinois closer in line with states that have adopted broader bans.
What comes next
The bill has only just been filed, so it still needs a committee assignment and majority votes in Springfield before it can land on the governor's desk. As reported by the Alton Telegraph, details about additional sponsors, specific enforcement mechanisms, and the legislative timetable were not yet on the table. Lawmakers and animal welfare advocates are expected to dig into public safety, animal care standards, and the economic impact on circuses as the measure moves through the Capitol.
How the proposal would play out at county fairs, private events, and small traveling shows will largely depend on the fine print of any exemptions and how strictly they are enforced. For now, Cassidy's filing is another sign that Springfield is not done tightening the leash on wild animal acts.
