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Home > Blogs > Down to Earth > Archives > 2008 > May > 07 > Entry
Lawmakers Give “Exotic” Animals Legitimacy
Llamas and alpacas are getting a little respect as part of a bill signed Wednesday by Gov. Ted Strickland.
House Bill 352 classifies llamas and alpacas as livestock in laws dealing with financial assistance to livestock exhibitions, concentrated animal feeding facilities, licensure of livestock dealers and registration of livestock brands.
Supporters say the bill addresses a widespread perception that llamas and alpacas are “exotic” animals, often viewed as hobbies instead of a way to make a living. That can make it more difficult for prospective alpaca owners to finance purchases of the animals through banks.
The reclassification of llamas and alpacas means the animals will be subject to more testing for disease by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Ohio has more alpacas than any other state, with 18 percent of the U.S. population.
What do you think? Do you put alpacas and llamas in the same league as cattle, hogs and chickens, or do you tend to think of them as “exotic” animals?
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By N Alexander
May 9, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this
In the same league as pigs and chickens? No. In the same league as sheep and goats, yes. When you compare them to animals that most people eat, giving a choice between that and exotic, exotic would seem to be the answer, but it’s more fair to compare them to animals that one would get textiles from. (I admit, I don’t know if you can get anything to make clothes with from goats, and I know that there is cow leather, as well as there is lamb chops, but those are not the first thing most people would think of concerning those animals.)