CHER Act of 2025
Officially: “CHER Act of 2025” Read the full text
What it does
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1Short title
This section says the short name of this Act is the "Captivity of Helpless Elephants Reduction Act of 2025," also called the "CHER Act of 2025."
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Captivity of Helpless Elephants Reduction Act of 2025 or the CHER Act of 2025 .
2Findings; purpose
This section lays out Congress's findings and the purpose behind the bill. It states that elephants live in matriarchal herds led by a lead female and migrate hundreds of miles each year, and that research has shown elephants have intentional communication, learning, memory, and categorization abilities; it cites an Emory University experiment in which a female elephant appeared to recognize herself in a mirror, a sign of self-awareness otherwise documented only in humans, dolphins, and chimpanzees. It states that captivity does not meet elephants' normal behavioral and reproductive needs, causing physical and emotional harm such as hernias, arthritis, mental decline, and high calf mortality, and that captive elephants live an average of 17 years compared with 50 or more years in the wild. It states that caring for a captive elephant can cost up to $100,000 a year, that the Detroit Zoo closed its elephant exhibit in 2004 for ethical reasons, that the Bronx Zoo announced in 2006 it would close its exhibit once its three elephants died, and that more than 22 zoos, including those in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago, have closed or announced plans to close their elephant exhibits since the early 1990s. It states that the United Kingdom phased out wild animal circus performances by 2020 and plans to ban elephant captivity in zoos and safari parks, that Austria, Greece, Israel, Mexico, Peru, and Singapore have similar bans, and that India bans keeping elephants in circuses and zoos. It states that the purpose of this Act is to ban the display, husbandry, and breeding of African elephants and Asian elephants at zoological parks and safari parks in the United States and to transfer elephants currently held at those facilities to authorized wildlife sanctuaries.
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2. Findings; purpose (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Elephants live in a matriarchal hierarchy where a lead female leads a large herd in the wild and migrates, traveling hundreds of miles every year. African and Asian elephants have been demonstrated to possess, amongst other things, intentional communication and learning, memory, and categorization abilities. An Emory University experiment showed that a female elephant seemed to recognize herself in a mirror, a result attributed to self-awareness only seen otherwise in humans, dolphins, and chimpanzees. (2) Captivity does not provide for the needs of normal elephant behavior and reproduction. As a result, captive elephants suffer both physical and emotional trauma including hernias, arthritis, mental degradation, and high calf mortality. The average lifespan of a captive elephant is 17 years; in the wild, elephants can live for 50 years or more. (3) It is estimated that the cost of caring for an elephant in captivity can be up to $100,000 per year. In 2004, the Detroit Zoo became the first major American zoo to shut down its elephant exhibit on ethical grounds. In 2006, the Bronx Zoo announced that it would close its exhibit once its three elephants died. Since the early 1990s, more than 22 zoos have shut down their elephant exhibits or announced that they were phasing them out, including those in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago. (4) The United Kingdom phased out all circuses featuring wild animal performances by 2020 and announced its intention to ban the captivity of elephants in zoos and safari parks. Dozens of other countries around the world have similar prohibitions, including Austria, Greece, Israel, Mexico, Peru, and Singapore. India bans the keeping of elephants in circuses and zoos. (b) Purpose The purpose of this Act is to ban the display, husbandry, and breeding of African elephants and Asian elephants in zoological parks and safari parks in the United States and transfer existing African elephants and Asian elephants in zoological parks and safari parks to authorized wildlife sanctuaries.
3Prohibition on elephant captivity
This section would add a new section 30 to the Animal Welfare Act. Starting 1 year after this new section takes effect, a safari park or zoological park (as an exhibitor) could no longer exhibit, house, manage, or breed an African elephant or an Asian elephant, except to complete a transfer of that elephant to an authorized wildlife sanctuary. The Secretary would be required to make every safari park or zoological park that exhibits, houses, manages, or breeds an African elephant or an Asian elephant as of the date this Act becomes law transfer each such elephant to an authorized wildlife sanctuary within 3 years of that date. The new section would define "African elephant" using the meaning given in the African Elephant Conservation Act. It would define "authorized wildlife sanctuary" as a nonprofit facility that is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries or a similar body, is dedicated to the lifelong care of elephants, does not breed animals, does not exhibit animals for profit, does not use animals for public entertainment, and meets standards set under the Animal Welfare Act for space, veterinary care, and naturalistic environments. It would define "safari park" as a publicly or privately owned facility that houses animals in large enclosures for public viewing and lets visitors drive through or observe the animals in a simulated natural environment. It would define "zoological park" as a publicly or privately owned facility that exhibits live animals to the public for educational or entertainment purposes, including zoos and aquariums.
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3. Prohibition on elephant captivity The Animal Welfare Act ( 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 30. Prohibition on elephant captivity (a) In general An exhibitor that is a safari park or zoological park may not exhibit, house, manage, or breed an African elephant or an Asian elephant after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, except to complete a transfer of an African elephant or an Asian elephant pursuant to subsection (b). (b) Transfer to authorized wildlife sanctuaries The Secretary shall require each exhibitor that is a safari park or zoological park that exhibits, houses, manages, or breeds an African elephant or an Asian elephant as of the date of the enactment of this section to transfer such African elephant or Asian elephant to an authorized wildlife sanctuary not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this section. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) African elephant The term African elephant has the meaning given the term in section 2305 of the African Elephant Conservation Act ( 16 U.S.C. 4244 ). (2) Authorized wildlife sanctuary The term authorized wildlife sanctuary means a nonprofit facility that— (A) is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries or a similar body; (B) is dedicated to the lifelong care of elephants; (C) does not— (i) breed animals; (ii) exhibit animals for profit; or (iii) use animals for public entertainment; and (D) meets the standards promulgated under this Act for— (i) space; (ii) veterinary care; and (iii) naturalistic environments. (3) Safari park The term safari park means a facility, whether publicly or privately owned, that— (A) houses animals in large enclosures for public viewing; and (B) allows visitors to drive through or observe animals in a simulated natural environment. (4) Zoological park The term zoological park — (A) means a facility, whether publicly or privately owned, that exhibits live animals to the public for educational or entertainment purposes; and (B) includes zoos and aquariums. .
4Implementation and support
This section would require the Secretary of Agriculture, not later than 1 year after this Act becomes law, to study the feasibility of transferring African elephants and Asian elephants to authorized wildlife sanctuaries, including the capacity, costs, and logistics involved. It would let the Secretary establish a grant program to help authorized wildlife sanctuaries accommodate African elephants and Asian elephants transferred to them under the new section 30 of the Animal Welfare Act. It would require the Secretary to develop materials to educate the public about the welfare benefits of prohibiting the captivity of African elephants and Asian elephants. For this section, "African elephant" has the same meaning as in the African Elephant Conservation Act, "authorized wildlife sanctuary" has the same meaning as in the new section 30 of the Animal Welfare Act, and "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture.
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4. Implementation and support (a) Feasibility study Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a study to assess the feasibility of transferring African elephants and Asian elephants to authorized wildlife sanctuaries, including capacity, costs, and logistics. (b) Grant program The Secretary may establish a grant program to support the accommodation by authorized wildlife sanctuaries of African elephants and Asian elephants transferred to such authorized wildlife sanctuaries pursuant to section 30 of the Animal Welfare Act (as added by this Act). (c) Public education The Secretary shall develop materials to educate the public about the welfare benefits of prohibiting the captivity of African elephants and Asian elephants. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) African elephant The term African elephant has the meaning given the term in section 2305 of the African Elephant Conservation Act ( 16 U.S.C. 4244 ). (2) Authorized wildlife sanctuary The term authorized wildlife sanctuary has the meaning given the term in section 30 of the Animal Welfare Act (as added by this Act). (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
Where it is
In the House.