Review of the City’s Animal Exhibition License and Permit Procedures

Executive Summary

In late 2011 and 2012, the IGO reviewed the City’s regulation of animal exhibitors, such as circuses, petting zoos, and other animal attractions, with the aim of identifying ways to improve both compliance with and enforcement of the City’s animal welfare laws for these unique businesses. Circuses are the City’s largest, most familiar animal exhibitors, and in recent years the IGO has received complaints, from a variety of sources, about the welfare of circus animals and the adequacy of the City’s licensing and animal welfare enforcement efforts. Our review found that traveling animal exhibitors present a special enforcement challenge given the fact that exhibitors often apply for an exhibitor’s license at the last minute and arrive just a few days before performing, providing little time for inspection or review of application materials. The City has no deadline by which exhibitors must apply for the license and requires significantly less information from exhibitors than other major cities. Based on these findings, the IGO makes several recommendations to improve the City’s efforts to consistently enforce its existing animal welfare and public safety laws.

Under the City’s Municipal Code, all animal exhibitors performing within the City must first obtain a license. The City’s Municipal Code further requires animal exhibitors to comply with all local, state, and federal laws relating to animal health and sanitation. During the course of this review, City Council amended the licensing provisions of the Municipal Code, effective January 1, 2013, creating a new temporary animal exhibition permit, administered by the City’s Commission on Animal Care and Control (ACC). This new permit provides new opportunities for ACC to more closely engage with the animal exhibitors that routinely perform in Chicago and more effectively enforce the City’s animal welfare laws.

In early 2012, the IGO interviewed senior officials from the three departments responsible for administering the City’s animal exhibitor licensing and inspection program.