Hebron — The Hebron Board of Selectmen on Sept. 25 discussed a draft ordinance that would prohibit shows involving wild and exotic animals after public comments about a recent sea-lion performance at the local fair.

The topic drew statements both defending the Hebron Lions Club’s use of visiting sea lions and urging the town to consider animal‑welfare limits for traveling exhibitions. The board did not take a vote and framed the matter as a policy discussion for possible future action.

Why it matters: The proposed ordinance would affect events held at the fairgrounds and other town venues and touch on competing public values — animal welfare versus educational exhibits and longstanding community volunteer activities.

Public comment and club response
Michael Bowyer, president of the Hebron Lions, spoke during public comment to dispute reporting that the fair exploited animals. Bowyer described the sea-lion act as using rehabilitated animals that perform for short periods and said the Lions coordinate closely with town regulators during events. “Before we decided to bring the sea lions in, I actually called the owner of the show to talk about where they get the animals…These animals are either part of an injury by a boat predation, or they're very susceptible to eye infections…they're rehabbed,” Bowyer said. He also invited town officials to discuss concerns directly rather than reading about them in a newspaper piece: “If there were concerns about our fair entertainment, we would have been more than happy to discuss them, rather than read about them in the River East.”

Board discussion and contrasting views
Several selectmen said they had received constituent complaints. One selectman who introduced the ordinance discussion said she found such sea‑lion shows “exploiting those animals” and noted that Massachusetts, California and Colorado have statewide restrictions (as described during the meeting). She said the draft ordinance is well written and could serve as a local tool if needed.

Other selectmen urged a less regulatory approach: they recommended that residents with concerns speak directly with the Lions Club and cautioned against immediate town action that could unintentionally affect educational rehabilitators and local volunteer groups. One board member said the Lions provide extensive community services and suggested the town’s first step should be conversation and collaboration with the fair organizers.

No formal vote
The board conducted a policy-level discussion; no motion or ordinance vote was taken on Sept. 25. Several selectmen said they would welcome continued dialogue with both the Lions and residents and that they might revisit the topic after more public input.

Ending: The selectmen left the draft ordinance under consideration for future meetings and encouraged residents to discuss concerns directly with event organizers while the town weighs whether to pursue a formal ban.