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Hemker Park seeks statutory clarity to import reindeer; committee lays bill over
Summary
Hemker Park and Zoo and Senator Westrom asked the committee for statutory discretion allowing the state veterinarian to permit reindeer imports under herd‑certification programs to preserve genetic diversity at a private zoo; the committee laid the bill over.
Senate File 739, sponsored by Senator Westrom, would allow the state veterinary authority discretionary approval to permit reindeer imports under an approved surveillance or USDA herd‑certification program. The measure is aimed at enabling Hemker Park and Zoo in Freeport to preserve genetic diversity for its reindeer herd and continue educational and conservation work.
Joan Hemker, co‑owner and founder of Hemker Park and Zoo, described the facility’s long history of animal care, the zoo’s partnerships with AZA‑accredited institutions and its biosecurity practices. Hemker said the proposed change would not open the state to white‑tailed deer imports but would provide a narrowly tailored mechanism for reindeer under veterinary oversight.
Senator Westrom said the language mirrors changes the committee advanced the prior year and that the change is intended to allow trusted institutional cooperation and to sustain the zoo’s collections. The committee adopted a technical A1 amendment and laid the bill over for possible inclusion.
