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The Payson Roundup / Payson residents now need permit for exotic animals

http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2011/feb/08/payson-residents-now-need-permit-exotic-animals/[2/13/2011 11:13:32 AM]

Archive for Tuesday, February 8, 2011

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Archive for Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Payson residents now need permit forexotic animalsNew rules for giant snakes also cover wolf-hybrids, alligators, skunks, bears and ahost of other critters

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The Payson Town Council last weekadded a host of animals including 6-foot-long boa constrictors, wolf-hybrids,bears, alligators and primates to its listof exotic animals requiring a permitfrom the police department.

The council overrode the objections ofa local pet store owner, Shannon Long,and 170 petition-signers to anordinance that singles out “exotic”animals for a permit and possibleinspection.

“You’re hundreds of times more likelyto be killed by tap water than a largeconstrictor, yet we’re not afraid of ourkitchen sinks,” said Long. “This is just acase of over regulation. We cannotcontinue to place regulations on people‘just because.’ We will soon lose ourfreedom to do or say anything.”

Ironically, a memo by Police Chief DonEngler explained that the need for theordinance arose chiefly because thetown’s animal control officer discoveredLong was keeping a 10-foot-longreticulated python in a 2-foot-squarecage.

When the animal control officer saidthe snake needed a larger cage, Long replied that the town had noauthority over the conditions in which he kept the animals.

That prompted the town to draft an ordinance that required a permitfor a long list of animals and gave the police department the authority

A D V E R T I S E M E N TBy Pete AleshireFebruary 8, 2011

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to approve the conditions in which owners keep the animals. Theordinance also covers crocodiles, cayman, raccoons, skunks, foxes,bears, bison, deer, elk, moose, sea mammals, poisonous reptiles, allfeline species besides domestic cats. The town already had an exoticanimal ordinance, but it didn’t define the species covered or includethe welfare provisions.

The town also presented several articles and a letter from RussJohnson, president of the Phoenix Herpetological Society, on the careand feeding of reticulated pythons — which can grow to 33 feet inlength and weigh up to 300 pounds. Johnson’s letter said that thepotentially dangerous snakes need cages at least half their ownlength, with room for a big water dish.

Engler’s letter said that Long had initially refused to put the python ina larger cage, but has since moved the snake to a 5-foot-long cage.

“I do see it as the responsibility of the Payson Police DepartmentAnimal Control Division to oversee exotic pets in our community and Ibelieve that a reticulated python is definitely an animal which fallsunder the exotic pet definition,” Engler wrote.

The entire public discussion of the town’s updated ordinance hasfocused on constrictors larger than 6 feet in length, although the chiefimpact will likely be on far more common pets like wolf-hybrid dogs.

John Roberts also attended the public hearing last Thursday to objectto the new regulations. He owns lizards. The only lizards consideredexotics under the terms of the ordinance are venomous lizards likeMexican Beaded Lizards and Gila Monsters, which are also coveredby separate state regulations.

Roberts said that his children play with their pet lizards and havenever had a problem, but were attacked recently by a pet cat at afriend’s house. Yet the exotic animals would face more stringentregulations than dogs and cats, which cause far more injuries anddeaths.

According to figures compiled by the National Safety Council, captivereptiles cause 1.5 deaths annually in the U.S., but almost all of thosedeaths involve people who own poisonous snakes.

Dogs cause 32 deaths annually, horses 212, bees and wasps 66,contact with hot tap water 26, all terrain vehicles 906, car crashes44,700, gun accidents 730 and assaults with a gun 12,000.

“I just don’t know that reptiles are a really big issue” requiringregulation, said Roberts.

Councilor Ed Blair asked whether Long objected to certain provisionsof the ordinance.

“Honestly, I’m against the whole thing. The numbers don’t add up,”said Long.

Chief Engler said the ordinance would give the department the legalauthority to protect both the public and the exotic animals themselves.

He said he expected the one-time permit fee would remain below theannual, $7 cost of a dog license.

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9 February 2011 at 12:57 p.m.

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ShannonLong (Shannon Long) says…

First of all, shame on the Town Counsel for passing an ordinance whenthe public that they are there to serve spoke out against it. All we can dois cry no, as more of our freedoms are taken away. I guess the presidentisn’t the only one that disregards public opinion.

Second the information about my snake is wrong. I was keeping him inthe display cage during the day only. 10ft sounds huge for a snake, but heonly took up 1/2 of the 2ft sq cage. This would be equal to having a dog ina dog crate. Right now he has himself completely inside his water tub,which is only 14”x10”x6”. He’s not really as big as you’d think. Prior to anyinquiries about him; I would move him to a 6ft x 2.5ft cage at night. Thissystem is just fine for him since they are more active at night anyway.During the day he would sleep curled up, taking up only half of the smallerdisplay cage. Recently I purchased a used cage from a customer andmoved him into it fulltime. In fact the cage this snake now has is much toolarge for him at his current size. You would think bigger is better, but it isnot always the case. In regards to a Ball Python, a larger space will stressthem and cause them to hide more. With the Reticulated Python, it sees alarger space as a territory and may become aggressive as to defend thearea. Many reptile keepers have found that keeping these Pythons in aproper sized cage can keep them relatively tame. Even in the short timeI’ve kept this snake, I’ve seen him become more agitated in the largercage. This larger cage has a perimeter of 17ft and would house a snakeup to 18ft in length. The small cage that he would spend his days inbefore has an 8ft perimeter. Which by the numbers is not too small, butwe wouldn’t recommend it. Chief Engler should not be quoting me sincehe has not talked to me once. I have never said, “that the town had noauthority over the conditions in which he kept the animals.” I did state thatthey don't need an ordinance to enforce humane treatment of any animals.Chief Engler himself answered in the 1st public hearing about thisordinance that there are state laws they could use. We don’t need aspecial ordinance to make other pets illegal to own without permit, just toenforce humane treatment. Sounds like a bunch of excuses to me. This ismore about me refusing to move my snake when Officer Tanner (who hasno experience or knowledge of reptiles) told me to. Heaven forbid we don’tbend to every whim of Officer Tanner.

9 February 2011 at 3:11 p.m.

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DanVarnes (Dan Varnes) says…

Excellent post, Mr. Long.

One of the best “life lessons” I've ever learned was to always get BOTHsides of any story before making up your mind.

Shannon, please make sure that your side is published in theRoundup, ASAP.

Animal Control OfficerAn Online Criminal Justice Degree Opens Up Your Job Possibilities.www.CriminalJustice-Info.com

The council approved the revisions in the ordinance on a 7-0 vote.

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