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Lawmakers hear testimony to add zebras and kangaroos to Maryland's private-ownership ban
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Summary
Delegate Laymon and animal-welfare and county officials urged the committee to expand Maryland's prohibited list to include zebras, kangaroos and wallabies, citing escape incidents and rising trade in exotic pets and urging a favorable report to protect public safety and animal welfare.
Delegate Mary Laymon told the committee HB 53 would add zebras, kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroos to the list of species that cannot be privately owned in Maryland, and would modernize an outdated helper-animal exemption; she said the change responds to public-safety incidents and a growing exotic-animal trade.
Andrea Crooms, former Prince George's County Department of the Environment director, described a 2021 episode where multiple zebras escaped and required months of county response and litigation, and said local governments currently bear the burden of responses to exotic-animal incidents. Stacy Velodin of Humane World for Animals said the number of registered kangaroos in state-licensed facilities rose from two to more than 34 in recent checks and noted a kangaroo breeder in Maryland that sells animals; she called the bill "simple and clean." Legal and animal-law experts said the bill is narrowly tailored with exemptions for licensed facilities and does not conflict with ADA service-animal rules.
County officials and animal-welfare groups urged a favorable report and said the proposal balances public safety, animal welfare and legitimate conservation or licensed-exhibit activities. The committee concluded the panel with no immediate votes recorded.
