Today, the Illinois State Senate passed HB 4255, legislation that expands existing state law to end the use of big cats, primates and bears in traveling acts, including circuses, fairs and other events and performances. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Linda Holmes (D‑42) in the Senate and Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D‑14) in the House. The Senate approved the measure by a vote of 51-4; the House passed the bill on April 14 by a vote of 76-33.
Now it heads to Governor JB Pritzker for his signature.
In 2017, Illinois became the first state in the country to ban the use of elephants in circuses and other traveling acts. In the intervening years, however, circuses and exhibitors have continued to force big cats, primates and other wild animals to perform across the state, making the legislature’s expansion of the law both necessary and timely.
“This legislation builds on work Illinois began nearly a decade ago to end the use of wild animals in traveling acts that pose risks to both the public and the animals involved,” said Marc Ayers, Illinois state director for Humane World for Animals, formerly the Humane Society of the United States. “Illinois leaders understood then, as they do now, that pain, fear and coercion are used to force these animals to perform stressful, unnatural tricks. Public sentiment has moved decisively away from exploiting wild animals for entertainment, 12 states have enacted restrictions on the use of wild animals in traveling shows, and many established circuses like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey now thrive with humane, animal-free performances. The cruelty inherent in traveling wild animal acts is incompatible with our values, and by passing this bill, the Illinois Legislature has once again taken a strong stand for animal welfare and public safety. We urge Gov. Pritzker to cement this historic progress by signing it into law.”
Wild animals used in traveling acts endure extreme confinement, chronic stress and inadequate care, spending most of their lives in cramped cages on the road. Many exhibit signs of severe psychological distress, and sick or injured animals often go without proper veterinary attention because constant travel makes consistent care nearly impossible. Illinois has seen multiple incidents that underscore these systemic problems, including those documented at:
- Culpepper & Merriweather Circus, which performs annually with big cats in Illinois, including in more than two dozen localities in 2025. This circus had its exhibitor license suspended after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confiscated an underweight tiger cub who did not receive adequate veterinary care. The cub was the sole survivor of a litter of three, apparently the result of inbreeding between sibling tigers.
- The Banana Derby, previously based in Illinois and appearing at the Sangamon County Fair in 2025, which straps capuchin monkeys dressed in costumes onto racing dogs. The USDA has cited the exhibitor for keeping social primates in solitary confinement and failing to provide adequate space for both monkeys and dogs.
- Scott Smith’s All Animals Expo, which offered public encounters with grizzly bear cubs in DuPage County for years. Although Illinois prohibited public contact with bears and primates in 2023, exhibiting them in traveling acts has been a legal gap that HB 4255 closes.
Under the stress and confinement to which they are subjected, wild animals can reach a breaking point. Across the U.S., big cats, primates and bears used in traveling shows have been involved in more than 100 dangerous incidents in recent decades, causing three deaths and over 100 injuries, at least 50 involving children.
Lincoln Park Zoo voiced strong support for HB 4255, noting that animals used in traveling acts routinely face inadequate care, prolonged confinement and forced performances “that are antithetical to modern animal welfare best practices.”