SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – Feb. 20, Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-44) introduced AB 892, the Public Contact Safety Act, to prohibit public encounters with animals such as handfeeding, petting, holding, or playing with nonhuman primates, bears, elephants, sloths, otters, kangaroos, wallabies, servals, and caracals held in captivity. The bill, cosponsored by Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), Humane World for Animals, and Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), would enable California to join 14 other states in prohibiting public contact with specific animals if passed. 

Public contact with wild animals is on the rise and jeopardizes their welfare, public health and safety, and conservation. Breeding wild animals for the purpose of forcing them to be handled by the public leads to a surplus after they grow too large, injurious, or uncooperative. They all too frequently end up in backyard menageries, poorly run facilities, or sent to auction.  

Wild animals can also spread viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections that pose serious health risks to people. Public handling is largely unregulated by any agency, resulting in wild animals injuring the public, including children. 

“This bill will not only help humans avoid situations where they could be needlessly harmed but will help to ensure that wild animals aren’t bred for human encounters and forced to endure a low quality of life,” said Animal Legal Defense Fund Legislative Affairs Program Director Kim Kelly. “Californian’s have advocated for strong animal protection laws in the state and this bill will continue to build on those efforts.” 

“Wild animals are complex creatures with specific needs and desires that cannot be met with a life premised on human entertainment,” said Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank). “This bill demonstrates our ongoing commitment to maintain thriving wildlife in our state and protect Californians from largely unregulated encounters with wild animals that put entertainment and profit over public safety and the wellbeing of vulnerable animals.” 

“Attractions like roadside zoos and shopping mall petting zoos bolster profit margins at the cost of animal care and welfare when they peddle public encounters with wild animals,” said Laura Hagen, director of captive wildlife for Humane World for Animals, formerly the Humane Society of the United States. “To facilitate encounters with paying customers, these operators force sensitive wild animals into repeated, often traumatic interactions where they are handled by the public, subjecting them to a lifetime of fear and chronic stress.” 

“As a sanctuary that cares for neglected, abused, and retired captive wildlife, we have seen firsthand how animals suffer for entertainment such as public encounters,” said PAWS Director of Science, Research and Public Policy Catherine Doyle. “These practices have no place in California or anywhere else, and we applaud Assemblymember Schultz for introducing this bill that is essential to protecting captive wild animals from exploitation and cruelty.” 

Since the passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act in 2022, servals and caracals, which are small cats, have been used with increasing frequency in public encounters. Imagery of people holding and petting these animals encourages others to buy them as pets — fueling the wild cat pet trade — and confuses keeping threatened or endangered species captive and using them for breeding with conservation efforts that are proven to work. Sloths, otters, lemurs, kangaroos, and wallabies have also emerged as fad animals used for encounters and selfies. 

About the Animal Legal Defense Fund  

The Animal Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1979 to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. To accomplish this mission, the Animal Legal Defense Fund files high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm; provides free legal assistance and training to prosecutors and law enforcement to ensure that animal victims are removed from cruelty situations and animal abusers are held accountable; supports tough animal protection legislation and fights harmful legislation; and provides resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law. For more information, please visit aldf.org. 

About Humane World for Animals  

Together, we tackle the root causes of animal cruelty and suffering to create permanent change. With millions of supporters and work happening in over 50 countries, Humane World for Animals—formerly called the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International—addresses the most deeply entrenched forms of animal cruelty and suffering. As the leading voice in the animal protection space, we work to end the cruelest practices, care for animals in crisis and build a stronger animal protection movement. Driving toward the greatest global impact, we aim to achieve the vision behind our name: a more humane world. humaneworld.org 

About Performing Animal Welfare Society 

Founded in 1984, the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) provides lifetime care for captive wild animals rescued or retired from circuses, zoos, and the exotic “pet” trade, and at the same time works to end the use of wild animals for entertainment. PAWS’ 2,300-acre sanctuary located in San Andreas, California, provides a permanent home to elephants, bears, big cats, monkeys, and other wild animals. PAWS is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. paws.org