Senate File 319 - Introduced SENATE FILE 319 BY SENG A BILL FOR An Act providing for the possession of cats classified as 1 bengals and savannahs. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2420SS (2) 84 da/nh
S.F. 319 Section 1. Section 717F.1, subsection 5, paragraph b, Code 1 2011, is amended to read as follows: 2 b. “Dangerous wild animal” includes an animal which is the 3 offspring of an animal provided in paragraph “a” , and another 4 animal provided in that paragraph or any other animal. It also 5 includes animals which are the offspring of each subsequent 6 generation. However, a dangerous wild animal does not include 7 any of the following: 8 (1) The offspring of a domestic dog and a wolf, or the 9 offspring from each subsequent generation in which at least one 10 parent is a domestic dog. 11 (2) The offspring of a domestic cat and another member of 12 the family felidae classified as any of the following: 13 (a) A bengal with an ancestor classified as an Asian leopard 14 cat which is a member of the species prionailurus bengalensis. 15 The bengal must be the fourth or later filial generation of 16 offspring with the first filial generation being the offspring 17 of a domestic cat and an Asian leopard cat, and each subsequent 18 generation being the offspring of a domestic cat. 19 (b) A savannah with an ancestor classified as a serval which 20 is a member of the species leptailurus serval. The savannah 21 must be the fourth or later filial generation of offspring 22 with the first filial generation being the offspring of a 23 domestic cat and serval, and each subsequent generation being 24 the offspring of a domestic cat. 25 EXPLANATION 26 GENERAL. This bill amends Code chapter 717F, which 27 regulates the possession of dangerous wild animals under 28 the authority of the department of agriculture and land 29 stewardship. Generally, the Code chapter prohibits a 30 person from owning or possessing a dangerous wild animal 31 or transporting a dangerous wild animal into this state 32 unless the person is licensed by the United States department 33 of agriculture and registered by the Iowa department of 34 agriculture and land stewardship. A dangerous animal includes 35 -1- LSB 2420SS (2) 84 da/nh 1/ 2
S.F. 319 cats (classified as belonging to the family felidae) other than 1 domestic cats. It also includes the offspring of a dangerous 2 wild animal and any subsequent generation of offspring. 3 EXEMPTING CATS CLASSIFIED AS F-4 BENGALS AND SAVANNAHS. The 4 bill provides an exemption for a cat classified as a bengal 5 which is a cross between a domestic cat and an Asian leopard 6 cat or classified as a savannah which is a cross between a 7 domestic cat and a serval. In both cases the bill requires 8 a separation of four filial generations between the Asian 9 leopard cat or serval and the exempted cat. The generations 10 are calculated by counting from the first filial generation 11 which is the offspring of the original crossing. The filial 12 generations are sometimes referred to as F-1 through F-4 to 13 identify the first four filial generations of offspring. The 14 bill’s exemption applies to those cats classified as F-4 15 bengals and savannahs. 16 -2- LSB 2420SS (2) 84 da/nh 2/ 2