On a Positive Note…

“Law adds big cats, bears and primates to Illinois ban on traveling animal acts”

Published July 7, 2026

CHICAGO — When Marc Ayers attended the Sangamon County Fair in New Berlin last year, he was on a mission to stop one attraction from returning to the state: the Banana Derby.

Ayers, the Illinois state director for Humane World for Animals, said the welfare group has been tracking the show for years. When he went to see it firsthand, he watched in horror as two capuchin monkeys, Gilligan and Bert, dressed in children’s clothing, were tethered to the backs of dogs as they raced around the show ring, he recalled.

“Gosh, those primates, the facial expressions they were making,” Ayers said. “That’s not a natural thing to see, monkeys riding dogs. They were desperately grabbing the rail to try to get off, and they couldn’t.”

After leaving the fair that June day, Ayers said, he promised himself that would be the last time the show came to Illinois.

“These awesome creatures that you see in the wild have been reduced to a bear riding a tricycle because a family thinks it’s funny or entertaining,” Ayers said. “It’s all there to exploit them so that the carnival can make money hand over fist off the exploitation of that species.”

A traveling show based in South Carolina, the Banana Derby has appeared at county fairs across Illinois for nearly two decades, according to owner Phil Dolci.

That run is coming to an end.

On June 26, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the expansion of the state’s Traveling Animals Act into law. The act already banned elephants in traveling shows and circuses — now the ban applies to big cats, bears and primates as well.

“In signing this bill, Governor Pritzker advanced the dignified and compassionate care of our wild animals,” said a spokesperson for the governor’s office.

The law took effect Wednesday.

Closing the gap:

Illinois became the first state to ban elephants in traveling acts when lawmakers passed the Traveling Animals Act in 2017. Ayers helped lead that legislative effort.

Since then, several states have adopted similar restrictions. But Ayers said Illinois’ original law left out many of the animals most commonly used in traveling entertainment, allowing shows such as the Banana Derby to continue operating in the state.

Complete Article:
“Law adds big cats, bears and primates to Illinois ban on traveling animal acts”