The Texas Attorney General’s Office has upheld a ban on open and concealed carry at the Fort Worth Zoo.
While the 64-acre zoo had long banned carry, until recently the state issued no penalties to state and municipal facilities that banned guns in defiance of state statute. However, last year the law changed, allowing citizens to submit facilities for review. If the businesses were found to be in violation of the law, they would then be forced to either remove the signs and allow carry, or be subject to hefty daily fines.
Based on the new guidelines, a Texas gun owner lodged a complaint against the zoo, saying its ban on carry was unlawful because it is on city property—and Texas law has long held that local governments may not ban carry except under very limited circumstances. However, according to the Attorney General, because the zoo is operated by a private entity, the Fort Worth Zoo’s imaginary gun-free zone will be allowed to stand, continuing to put law-abiding Texans at risk.
