carnival

The Carnival Iguanas

NOTE: VIRGINIA RESIDENTS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO BAN THIS PRACTICE IN 2009

Local Ordinances continue to grow in numbers

If this is illegal in your state and you see this, click here!

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Every year, a number of carnivals keep baby iguanas at room temperature or less and give them as prizes. They are given to children without directions or equipment to keep them alive. Many times, the animals are not warm enough and are suffering from mites. Frequently, there is a pile of dead animals behind the booth. This is nothing short of blatant animal abuse. Some states have laws to prevent this. Most states have laws that prevent and dyed chicks and rabbits from being given as prizes. Remember them? Well, the laws haven't caught up with the reptile craze yet. Notice that I said "yet." There are ways to help.

Call your city council or check www.municode.com to determine whether your state or city has an ordinance to ban this behavior. These files came from the HSUS in July 2003.
State Prize Codes (PDF file)
Local Prize Codes (PDF file)
Call your Health Department. Not all Health Departments are alike. The Health Department in Cape May, NJ was a help in getting iguanas off the Boardwalk. The Health Department in NYC seems to think iguana ownership should be banned, however iguanas are STILL given away as prizes at the Brooklyn and Long Island carnivals despite the recent state law banning this practice, not to mention the fact that they are illegal to own IN NYC.
Ask the City Attorney to ban this practice in writing as a condition for the permit to hold the carnival.
If your state or city has a law, call the Police or Animal Control Department.
If they are giving away baby turtles under 4 inches in size, call your local U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration or U.S. Fish and Wildlife. (Blue pages in the phone book) This violates the 21 Code of Federal Regulations 1240.62
Write a letter to your local editor of the newspaper.
Call the local news stations.
In Virginia, iguana owners and PETA wrote to the state fair and complained during the winter months. This allowed the fair to publish rules that prohibit live prizes. You are asking the Commission to set a policy for no live prizes. Make the letter professional. The state fairs have been very cooperative. Complaining to the city or fair commission has has the best sucess. Most Fair Boards are busy with other details and never set foot on the Midway section. They will not know this practice has occurred on their fairground unless you notify them. In Virginia, we are finding fair boards that are sympathetic to our cause.
Carnivals giving warm blooded animals as prizes must have a USDA permit.
Write to an animal friendly representative. Local or state laws may be amended. Be ready to write the bill yourself. MA, ME, VT, NY, SC, MD, PA and Iowa have recent bills. Iowa has just passed a bill in 2004 to ban this practice. VA has a proposed bill for 2006. People in OH, TN and NC are also working on bills.
Start a petition requesting that the state or city code be amended or read how Cicrleville Ohio got their ordinance
Get pictures if you can do so safely without a scene.
Get a copy of the care sheet. This proves the inadequacy of the vendor to give proper information. One vendor in PA, didn't know whether he had geckos or iguanas.
Most county and local fairs contract with a carnival who bring the rides. This carnival brings the vendor with the iguanas. Get the name of the carnival. Most of these carnivals have web pages and you may be able to find out the locations of other fairs with this abuse.
Read Carnival Iguanas on Melissa Kaplan's website.
Read about how the NY Law got passed.
Read an opinion from VA Reptile Rescue.

If you haven't seen this, pictures from Strawberry Festival, Peanut Festival and other fairs in 2006.

Who is giving away iguanas and other animals? Remember that most of these games are vendors who rent space with the carnival.

1998-Virginia State Fair-iguanas
2001-Chesterfield County, Virginia Fair-anoles
2001-Loudoun County, Virginia Fair-iguanas
2001-Virginia Beach, VA-Church of the Holy Family-goldfish
2001-Courtland, VA-rabbits
2002-Clarke County, Virginia Fair-iguanas
2002-Durham, North Carolina County Fair-iguanas
2002-Porter County, Indiana-iguanas
2002-Grapeland, Texas-iguanas
2001-2002-Italian Fest-Brooklyn, NYC
2003-Chesapeake, VA-Chesapeake Square Mall-rabbits
2003-Manasses, VA-Box turtles
2003-Virginia Beach, VA-St. Gregory's Catholic Church-goldfish
2003-PA-turtles
2003-Bel Air, MD-turtles
2003-LaPorte County, Indiana-iguanas
2003-Bronx, NY-iguanas
2003-Wisconsin State Fair-iguanas THIS WAS STOPPED!!
2003-Kentucky State Fair-iguanas and goldfish-THIS GAME WAS SHUT DOWN!!
2003-Tennessee-iguanas
2003-Franklin, Ohio-iguanas
2003-Grand Rapids, SD-iguanas
2003-Lexington, VA-iguanas
2003-Lexington, NC-iguanas
2003-Anne Arundel County Fair, MD-iguanas, turtles, rabbits
2003-Wayne County, NC-iguanas
2003-Lenoir County, NC-iguanas
2003-Marion County, FL-sliders, iguanas
2003-Circleville, Ohio PumpkinFest-iguanas (43 degrees F)
2003-Wilmington, NC-iguanas
2003-Dothan, AL National Peanut Fest-iguanas
2003-Gonzales, Louisiana-Jambalaya Fest-iguanas
2004-Flordia State Fair-iguanas
2004-Virginia Dogwood Festival-iguanas
2004-Fort Bragg Fairgrounds-iguanas
2004-Virginia Beach-iguanas
2004-Our Lady of Pompeii Church, Baltimore, MD-rabbits
2004-Carpenter's Shelter@Landmark Mall, Alexandria, VA-rabbits
2004-Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church-Brooklyn, NY-iguanas
2004-St Monica's Church-Garfield Heights, Ohio-turtles
2004-Bedford Ohio Lion's Carnival-rabbits
2004-Michigan City Indiana-iguanas, goldfish & hermit crabs
2004-Beaufort County NC-iguanas-Cops took the animals under abuse laws
2004-Lucus County Fair-Maumee Ohio-rabbits
2004-Howard County MD-iguanas
2004-Montgomery County MD-anoles, fish & hermit crabs
2004-Miami County OH-rabbits and iguanas
2004-Wood County OH-iguanas
2004-Henry County OH-iguanas
2004-Crossville TN-iguanas
2004-Prince William County VA-iguanas
2004-Bucyrus Ohio-iguanas
2004-West Virginia State Fair-iguanas
2004-Hancock County, Findlay OH-rabbits
2004-Michigan State Fair-iguanas
2004-Grape Festival-Tontitown ARK-iguanas
2004-Wayne County-Goldsboro NC-iguanas
2004-Lake County-Menter Ohio-rabbits
2004-Grapeland Peanut Festival-Grapeland Texas-iguanas
2004-NYC-Street Carnival in Queens-iguanas
2004-Jackson Ohio-Jackson County Apple Festival-iguanas
2004-Ostrander OH-turtles
2004-South Boston VA-iguanas
2004-Chase City VA-iguanas
2004-King NC, Stokes County Fair-rabbits
2005-Winchester, VA-iguanas
2005-Hellertown, PA-Luthern Church-iguanas
2005-Pen Argyl, PA-iguanas-This was shut down!
2005-Cheektowago, NY-li>
2005-Gulfport Mississippi-iguanas
2005-Havre de Grace MD-Independance Day Fair-iguanas and goldfish
2005-Walkersville MD Fire House-rabbits
2005-Italian Festival, NYC-iguanas
2005-Church Carnival-Southampton PA-iguanas, turtles, & frogs
2005-Porter County Indiana-iguanas
2005-Valparaiso Indiana-iguanas
2005-Ohio State Fair-iguanas
2005-West Virginia State Fair-iguanas
2005-Hopkins County Fair, KY-iguanas
2005-Chesterfield County VA-anoles, hermit crabs, goldfish
2005-Indiana County PA-iguanas
2005-Biscoe NC-iguanas
2005-Stanly County NC-iguanas
2005-Onslow County NC-iguanas
2005-Wayne County NC-iguanas
2005-Monroe MI-iguanas
2005 Fraser MI-rabbits-NOTE: New Ordinance Passed!!!
2005-Utica Michigan-St Lawrence Apple Festival-iguanas

2006-Gulfport MS-iguana, rabbits & turtles

2006-Crawfish Fest-Breaux Bridge LA-Iguanas & rabbits

2006-Heath Ohio (J&J)-rabbits

2006-Newark Ohio-iguanas

2006-Knox County Fair-Bicknell Indiana-iguana & goldfish

2006-St Theresa's Church Feast-Bronx, NYC-iguanas

2006-Rocky Grove Fireman's Fair-Franklin PA-goldfish, iguanas & turtles

2006-Baltimore-anoles & goldfish

2006-Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival-New Iberia LA-iguanas

2006-Wayne County Fair-Goldsboro NC-fish, hermit crabs & iguanas

2006-York County Fair-Rock Hill SC-iguanas-Thanks to the Rock Hill Police Dept. for stopping this.

2006-Canyan County Fair-Idaho-iguanas

2006-River Festival-Idaho-iguanas

2007-Reese Volunteer Fire Station-Westminster MD-anoles

2007-County Fair-Rosemount MN-iguanas

2007-Clarke County Fair- Berryville VA-iguanas

2008-Cambria County Fair PA-turtles under 4 inches

2008-Reading PA-iguanas

2008-Westminster MD-Anoles

2008-Hinesdale Field Days-Hinesdale NY-iguanas

2008-Strawberries on the Square-Newark OH-iguanas

2008-Howard County Fair, MD-Anoles

2008-Washington County Fair, Washington PA-turtles

2008-Chesterfield County Fair VA-Anoles

2008-Delta Fair TN-rabbits (No prizes allowed after this)

2008-Shrewsbury Carnival-Anoles

2008-Towson Town Fair MD-turtles

2008-Eureka PA-lizards

Free Web poll for your Web site - freepolls.com

Others have told us that the following carnivals have had iguanas as prizes. If one of these carnivals is near you, please check it out yourself.

Wade Shows
Oscar's Amusements
Cumberland Valley Shows
Henry T. Cole Shows
Jolly Shows Carnivals
Powers Great American Midways
Interstate Amusements of America
Kissel Brothers
Reithoffer Shows
Poor Jacks
M and M Amusements
Mitchell Bros. Amusements
Taylor & Sons Amusements
Smokey Mountain Amusements
Belle City Amusements
Bates Amusements
Fairplay Games, Inc-Orlando Florida
Burton Brothers Amusements
Bates Brothers
Sams Amusements
Goodtime Amusements, Hellertown PA
Fiesta Rides Inc-Indiana
Skelly's Amusements

Notice: This page is not in any way anti-carnival. The carnivals help many non-profit organizations with fund raising and provide entertainment. Fund raising and entertainment does not have to include abuse of animals. As a Christian, I am pained by the number of churches that allow this to happen. I hope these churches will adopt a "no live animal as a prize" policy and look into a Blessing of the Animals ministry. I think this will win a church much more repsect from the surrounding neighborhood.
A special welcome to my friends at www.carnivalwarehouse.com. It is enlightening to know that even amoung carnival people, the awarding of animals such as iguanas and rabbits is not seen as right by many. Most carnies see no problem with goldfish and many customers see no issue with goldfish. My son won a goldfish and we had that goldfish for over a decade. Customers need to realize that even goldfish require an investment of proper equipment and time.