Group Protests Sale Of Exotic Animals As Pets Visitors Urged Not To Attend Show Saturday At Interstate Fairgrounds
While an African lion reportedly ran wild west of Spokane, a small group showed up at an animal show Saturday to protest the sale of all exotic animals.
No parrots, no pythons. And definitely no lions.
About a half-dozen protesters stood outside a fence near the poultry building at the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds Saturday, telling visitors not to pay to see creatures they said are best left in the wild.
“Their needs can’t be met by humans,” shouted protest organizer Kelly Tansy, 33. “We know you came from a long way, but please take your kids to the park or something.”
There were no lions, tigers or bears inside the Spokane Animal Expo. But there were camels, tortoises, llamas, emus, miniature parrots and pythons.
Some visitors agreed with the protesters. Others yelled insults at them. Most just wanted to see the animals.
“I don’t think people should own exotic animals like that. Take, for instance, that lion that’s supposed to be running loose,” said one visitor, Karen Carlson.
She referred to reports of a male African lion roaming west of town near the Indian Canyon area. The lion was spotted Thursday and eluded county animal control officers Friday and Saturday.
When the Ostbergs came out of the building and saw the protesters, father and son disagreed.
“They should be in the wilderness, that’s my opinion,” said Jason Ostberg, 22.
His father, Brian Ostberg, is a hunter and said he just doesn’t like animal rights activists.
“Many species have come and gone, Jas,” the elder Ostberg said. “And the world keeps on going.”
Tansy said he began fighting against keeping exotic animals captive after he saw animals mistreated at a circus he worked for in 1979. Tansy, a clown by trade, said elephants were hit with blunt objects and prodded with hooks.
The show’s organizer, Jeff Hatch, said no one at Spokane Animal Expo is abusing anything. “Without shows like this, a lot of these animals would never be exposed to the public.”
Hatch said he even invited the protesters to come inside and occupy a free booth, but claims they never got back to him. At one point, he said, he brought them soda.
“I think they’re well-intentioned, and they make me a lot of money,” Hatch said. The event continues today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Inside on Saturday, kids took $2 llama rides. Vendors sold camels, miniature humped cattle, tortoises and hedgehogs. Pet supplies could be purchased. And someone sold emu burgers, sandwiches made from the meat of an ostrich-like bird.
Others weren’t there to make a buck at all.
Pet Rescue, a local group that adopts death row animals from the county animal shelter, tried to find new owners for a dog and some kittens. Llama and reptile clubs gave out free memberships information. Brave kids even got to pet a huge, bright-yellow Burmese python draped across a table.
Bob Baker, who raises llamas, camels, rare sharpei pigs, zebras and miniature humped cattle said he loves his animals. That’s why he didn’t bring any zebras, he said. All the people would stress them out.
He doesn’t agree with the protesters. But he said he believes their motives are sincere. Baker even compared activism to a religion.
“I don’t know what motivates them,” Baker said. “Something does. I guess the same thing that motivates me to raise animals is the same thing that motivates them, but in a different way.”
, DataTimes