Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Wild Animals Loose? Blame Kasich!

****Update:  On a press conference (going on now) on channel 4 Columbus, the Sheriff said that when his officers responded, there were wild animals outside their cruisers.  The sheriff said there were tigers, leopards, lions, 2 species of bears, and one wild animal got loose on the interstate and was hit by a car.

As the first responders have risked their lives to protect the public, someone with ties to the Kasich administration criticized them.

Plunderbund:

...Unfortunately that’s exactly what the wife of Kasich’s closest advisor, Jai Chabria, did this evening.

As the story of the animals’ escape unfolded, and news that Sheriff’s deputies had been forced to shoot at least one of the animals was made public, Jai’s wife Tammy took the opportunity to publicly attack the police officers and public employees in general on Twitter.

Chabria called the officers “inhumane morons who have no idea what they’re doing and shouldn’t be permitted to do this job”. And called the Sheriff’s “shoot to kill” order “Incompetence.”

Would she have wanted to go out there herself and take care of the animals?


*  The first responders have been endangering their lives in trying to round up wild animals that were kept on private property. Lions, cheetahs, bears, and other wild animals have been on the loose in Muskingum County, Ohio, after they were released from a private owner. This is the latest example of why we need regulations.  If SB 5 would have been in place, would the first responders have been able to get to the location as quickly as they did?  By the way, did you see the governor out there helping?  No.  Did you see House Speaker Batchelder helping? No. Where was Ohio House member Louis Blessing (who said that Republicans work harder)??????

Dispatch:

Dozens of wild animals — from bears to lions to wolves — were running loose in Muskingum County yesterday, apparently set free from their cages.....

....Ohio has no rules regulating the sale and ownership of exotic animals.


Former Gov. Ted Strickland had attempted to enforce such a law, but Gov. John Kasich allowed an executive order to expire....

Of course, Kasich allowed it to expire.  Isn't Gov. Kasich always saying about how regulations are bad?

In a story at WHIZ.com, a plea from the U.S. Humane Society was issued:

As local authorities respond to the escape or release of exotic animals in Muskingum County  the Humane Society of the United States is calling on Governor John Kasich and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to issue emergency regulations restricting the sale and possession of dangerous wild animals.

The Humane Society said in a press release that the Kasich Administration allowed emergency rules put in place by former Governor Ted Strickland to expire in April. It also said that Ohio Department of Natural Resources has convened a working group to develop standards which it recommend to the Legislature for action at some undetermined time frame.....

What other regulations have been allowed to expire by Gov. Kasich? What kinds of dangers do we face because of Kasich's lack of insight into why we need regulations?

Those voters in Muskingum County should do two things:

1.  Support your local sheriff and the first responders who've been out all night responding to this emergency and Vote NO on Issue 2.

2.  Send a message to your local responders and say "Thank you" for your protection.

VOTE NO ON ISSUE 2.