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Snake search continues-NC
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by tigers9 on May 23, 2008
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Mail this to a friend!
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This is not the truth right, hots are still legal in NC? Who is this Grooms guy?
Z
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SNIP
Grooms and a few volunteers were at the townhome where it was spotted, 212 Winner's Circle, and were searching the area, she said.
"Anyone who keeps hots (illegal exotic animals), it's a close knit community. Somebody will brag about it or somebody will tell on somebody. Word of mouth is amazing," she said.
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http://www.jdnews.com/news/grooms_56729___article.html/area_search.html
Snake search continues
AMANDA HICKEY
May 23, 2008 - 3:25PM
The search for the monocled cobra that was spotted in the Stables of Horse Creek Farms Thursday afternoon continued today, said Jen Grooms, founder and director of HERP Wildlife Rescue, early Friday afternoon.
Grooms and a few volunteers were at the townhome where it was spotted, 212 Winner's Circle, and were searching the area, she said.
"Anyone who keeps hots (illegal exotic animals), it's a close knit community. Somebody will brag about it or somebody will tell on somebody. Word of mouth is amazing," she said.
Word of mouth, Grooms said, is the primary plan of finding out who the owner is but not the plan for searching for the snake.
"We're going to search a little more and see if we see any signs of anything and work that way. We're going to stay in touch with the residents in the area," she said.
"Hot" snakes, such at the cobra, are not necessarily uncommon in the area.
"I know of at least five or six responsible people," Grooms said. "As far as the others, people come in all the time, ‘Hey, we've got this, this and this,' just wanting to chit, chat, talk and belong, but it is illegal in Onslow County to own them. The only way I have them legally is because I'm licensed for wildlife rescue, and I work with exotic animal cruelty and rescue."
While local news organizations have reported that the monocled cobra spotted in the Stables of Horse Creek Farms may have been dropped off by the California-based Animal Protection Institute, the group denies any fact to the accusation.
"We're in California; we're not there," Zibby Wilder, director of public relations for API, said early Friday afternoon, adding that the organization is made primarily of females who are afraid of snakes.
The group, which is working on nationwide legislation regulating the ownership of exotic animals, does not drop off snakes, she said.
"It seems like a hoax someone's putting out there because they're mad about the legislation," Wilder said. "If it really is a situation, it's really, really unfortunate for the poor animals and the people. ... But it's really unfortunate for the people who own dangerous and exotic animals in N.C. It really goes to prove the point that this legislation really does need to exist."
Born Free USA joined with API in the campaign Captive Exotic Animals: Wild at Heart.
"Born Free USA united with API aims to reduce the suffering of captive exotic animals by raising public awareness of the cruel and destructive exotic animal trade, by increasing legal protections for captive exotic animals, and by supporting efforts aimed at preserving wildlife's rightful place in the wild," according to the group's Web site.
North Carolina is one of fewer than 10 states that doesn't regulate the ownership of dangerous and exotic animals, Wilder said.
"Just because of the public safety issues and the issues of animals escaping or being let loose because they're not wanted any more, we're trying to put regulation on ownership," she said.
N.C. statutes, however, do cover the handling of poisonous reptiles in Article 55, and the ownership of poisonous reptiles in Article 55, Section 14-417, titled "Regulation of ownership or use of poisonous reptiles."
"It shall be unlawful for any person to own, possess, use or traffic in any reptile of a poisonous nature whose venom is not removed, unless such a reptile is at all times kept securely in a box, cage, or other safe container in which there are no openings of sufficient size to permit the escape of such a reptile, or through which such reptile can bite or inject its venom into any human being," it reads.
Onslow County, however, has banned exotic pets.
"No person shall keep or permit to be kept on his premises any dangerous wild animals," according to an Onslow County ordinance. "This section shall not be construed to apply to zoological parks, performing animal exhibitions or circuses."
Part of the problem, Wilder said, is that there is not a set statute on exotic animals in North Carolina.
"You can have one county right next to each other that could be different, so things can get confused. That's why the states are doing the regulation," she said.
The cobra was spotted in the yard of a townhouse on Winner's Circle. A woman was outside, and saw it go toward her puppy. She grabbed the puppy, and the snake then charged her, Grooms said Thursday.
Onslow County Animal Control, Emergency Management Services, the Piney Green Volunteer Fire Department, and Grooms spent seven hours searching for the snake.
It was last seen under the porch; however, when the porch was dismantled, it was no longer there, Animal Control Director Dino Einsig said Thursday night.
The wooded area near the home was searched, Einsig said, but nothing was found.
"We did a thorough sweep and search ... but when an animal goes into hiding, it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack," Grooms said Thursday night.
It is unclear where the snake came from, however, Einsig said the woman reported that she received a flier a few weeks ago about two missing cobras. He asked that anyone who has a copy of the flier call Onslow County Animal Control at 910-455-0182.
Monocled cobras can grow to 6 1/2 feet and are nocturnal, according to the National Geographic Web site.
They eat other snakes and lizards, are venomous and not legal to own in Onslow County without a license as well as state and federal permits, Einsig said.
If the snake's owner is determined, it is possible for them to be charged with a crime, Grooms said. The owner could be charged with illegal possession of a venomous snake, endangering the community or attempted murder should the snake bite someone.
There is no way to know whether the snake has its venom, Grooms said Thursday night, as the searchers were unable to get their hands on it.
Contact Jacksonville/Onslow County reporter Amanda Hickey at ahickey@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8463.
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