Hearing On Exotic Animal Ordinance Delayed Draft Plan Calls For Licensing Requirements, Enforcement

Animal control officials gave county commissioners a draft plan to regulate dangerous animals, but said Tuesday it is not ready for a public hearing.

Delays in writing the ordinance to meet county legal criteria could push a public hearing back nearly three months.

Commissioners and animal control officials had hoped to hold the hearing later this month or early in July. Recent reports of exotic pets escaping and the attack of a child by a pet cougar sparked interest in the ordinance.

The 19-page working draft that county animal control director Nancy Sattin gave to commissioners Tuesday afternoon outlined the basics of the proposed ordinance.

Commissioners are expected to receive the final draft in August. A public hearing will then be scheduled, probably after Labor Day weekend, Sattin said.

The ordinance proposes licensing requirements and enforcement provisions for non-domestic dogs and cats, bears, venomous and constricting snakes, crocodiles and alligators. Primates would be banned.

Existing animals would not be required to meet all of the criteria and current owners of primates would not have to give up their pets.

However, owners of existing pets still would be required to purchase a license.

Requirements for purchasing a license include showing proof of a $50,000 surety bond or liability insurance, meeting housing and care standards and yearly inspections.

Failure to obtain license and comply with the care standards would be a misdemeanor.

County attorneys are reviewing the plan and hope to finalize a rough draft early in July. Interested groups will then have two weeks to review and comment on it, Sattin said.

Animal control officials and county attorneys will take two weeks to read the comments and make changes to the proposed ordinance, Sattin said.

A final draft will then be reviewed by the commissioners before a public hearing is set.

, DataTimes