MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Lions and tigers and bears — maybe in Oz, but not in Wisconsin if one Republican legislator gets his way.

Sen. Van Wanggaard of Racine is pushing a bill that would prohibit people from owning dangerous exotic animals, including lions, tigers, polar bears, gorillas and alligators. The measure comes as Milwaukee police, the state Department of Natural Resources and animal control officers search for a mysterious lion-like creature that has roamed the city for the last few weeks. Animal control officials believe the animal is likely a released or escaped lion.

Wanggaard said in a memo to his fellow legislators seeking co-sponsors for his bill that the measure was inspired by the Milwaukee lion hunt, as well as a 2013 incident in which police and the Racine Zoological Society discovered nearly half-a-dozen rattlesnakes, two alligators, a crocodile, an alligator snapping turtle and a Gila monster in a Kenosha residence. The senator said escaped exotic pets tax limited municipal resources and put emergency responders and citizens in danger.

“These animals pose a significant threat to the safety of Wisconsin residents,” Wanggaard, a former police officer, wrote in the memo. “This is common sense legislation that will keep citizens, law enforcement, and emergency responders safe.”

Wisconsin is one of five states that don’t regulate exotic animal ownership, according to Born Free USA, a national nonprofit organization that works to protect wildlife and encourage conservation, and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

State residents need a license from the DNR to possess a wild animal that’s native to Wisconsin. They can own non-native animals such as a lion without a license, unless the animal is endangered or threatened or has been deemed a harmful wild animal, such as a cougar, wild pig or bear, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Wanggaard’s bill would prohibit the private possession, propagation and sale of dangerous exotic animals, including nonnative big cats such as lions and tigers; nonnative bears, including brown bears, panda bears and polar bears; apes, including gorillas, chimpanzees and gibbons; and crocodilians, including alligators, crocodiles and caimans. Vets, zoos, circuses, federally licensed research facilities and wildlife sanctuaries could still legally possess such creatures.

People who own dangerous exotic animals before the bill takes effect would be allowed to keep the creatures if they register the animals with their municipality. They would have to inform police if their animals escape.

Karen Sparapani, executive director of the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission, which is working to capture the creature roaming Milwaukee, said she hadn’t seen the bill but supports banning private possession of large mammals.

“Most people with exotic animals, especially smaller reptiles, are responsible,” Sparapani said. “But it’s these large mammals regular people can’t provide a quality of life to. They’re simply being born for people’s vanity and that’s wrong.”

Wanggaard’s co-sponsorship memo said a coalition of groups support the measure, including the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies and League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

Curt Witynski, assistant director of the municipal league, said the bill should help conserve local resources.

“Our concern stems from mainly law enforcement and other staff resources that are used to try and deal with these situations where these animals get loose or are abandoned,” Witynski said. “We thought (the bill) would be a good idea and it’s a good time (to bring it forward) with the spotlight on this animal in Milwaukee right now.”

Wanggaard’s memo sets an Aug. 12 deadline for co-sponsors to sign on. The bill’s chances are unclear. Legislators are on summer recess and aren’t expected to return to Madison until mid-September.

Myranda Tanck, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said Fitzgerald hasn’t reviewed the bill yet and with no caucus meeting scheduled it’s unclear when Senate Republicans will discuss it. Kit Beyer, a spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said only that Vos was reviewing the measure.

A spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Scott Walker didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.

Sparapani said the search for the Milwaukee creature was still ongoing as the weekend approached. Officials believe the creature is a juvenile African lion, she said. The creature probably won’t last long in a hot urban environment, Sparapani said. It should be able to find water but potential prey animals tend to remain stationary during the hot summer days, making it difficult for the creature to hunt and find enough daily protein to sustain itself.