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approve the ordinance. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner <br />Carey to defer consideration of this ordinance until some of the questions raised by <br />citizens are answered. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />2. <br />Rosemary Summers said that the primary purpose of this ordinance is to protect <br />the welfare and safety of the public. There are a number of small circuses that travel <br />through same of the neighboring counties with scheduled performances. There have been <br />two injuries in North Carolina in the past 10 years due to circus animals. Both of these <br />happened to be leopards. Worldwide, since 1990, there have been 44 human deaths and <br />aver 100 injuries as a result of attacks by captive elephants, and 75 attacks by captive wild <br />felines. Roughly one-third of these have resulted in fatal injuries. These numbers are not <br />large, but they do indicate that there is a risk to public safety. One point of clarification is <br />that this ordinance does not prohibit the ownership of wild and exotic animals, but only the <br />display of wild and exotic animals for purposes of entertainment and amusement. <br />Commissioner Brown made reference to page five and the enforcement of the <br />ordinance. She said that it would be difficult in the event of traveling shows to notify <br />someone by mail as to a violation. Geoffrey Gledhill said that civil penalties would not be <br />effective for traveling circuses. <br />Commissioner Carey asked why the civil penalty of $50.00 per animal was <br />selected. He feels that this may not be a significant penalty. Geoffrey Gledhill said that <br />this amount was consistent with some other ordinances that the County has that have civil <br />penalty provisions. <br />Geoffrey Gledhill said that the only way that a county could permit a traveling <br />circus is to provide far that process through the ordinance. <br />John Link clarified that this ordinance only applies to the unincorporated areas of <br />Orange County. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked if the Board of Health would pursue requesting the <br />municipalities to consider adoption of the ordinance and was told that the ordinance will be <br />forwarded to the municipalities but not actively promoted. <br />PUBLIC CtJMMENTS <br />Ellen Whitaker, member of the Committee for Human and Animal Safety, spoke <br />in support of this ordinance stating that wild animals that are used for entertainment are <br />forced to exist in conditions which cause them to suffer. These animals are denied the <br />expression of natural behavior patterns that are essential for their wellbeing. She said that <br />it was standard practice to train and control them using pain and fear even within the mast <br />famous circuses. She read a prepared statement. She spoke about the documents from <br />the committee that include letters and sworn testimony from former circus employees, <br />USDA inspectors, zoo officials, public safety officials, and veterinarians, as well as USDA <br />inspection reports, newspaper articles, eyewitness accounts given under oath, and various <br />legal documents. She said that there was strong local support for this ordinance. She <br />presented a petition with 1,000 signatures of people from Urange County. <br />Bab Blackmar said that he travels with a children's zoo. He said that the <br />ordinance should be rejected because the majority of exotic animals that are now being <br />exhibited by traveling zoos and many circuses are captive-bred and are not wild or <br />dangerous. He feels that the banning of all wild and dangerous animals is too broad. <br />