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OH Perrysburg alert
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by tigers9 on April 11, 2009
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Perrysburg wrestling with exotic animal ban
Written by Sentinel Staff
Friday, 10 April 2009
PERRYSBURG - A proposed ordinance to ban so-called "exotic" animals from Perrysburg is being revised after concerns were raised about the specific types of animals and other critters that could be banned.
The proposed ban was announced in February but has yet to be adopted by council.
Council's Service Safety Committee has been considering changes to the language of the pending ordinance before introducing it to council for full vote.
Under the draft ordinance the list of unsuitable pets is long. It ranges from large or venomous snakes, like pythons and boa constrictors, to bears, beavers, lions, tigers, alligators, and a plethora of other critters.
The law would allow police to criminally charge any exotic pet owner. First offenders would face a minor misdemeanor, carrying a $150 fine but no jail time. Second offense would be a fourth degree misdemeanor, carrying a maximum $250 fine and up to 30 days in jail. A third offense would be a first degree misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and possible six months in jail. The exotic animal would be seized and impounded. The cost of impounding and caring for the animal would be passed along to the offender.
There was concern the law could be misinterpreted to include certain breeds of dog, particularly so-called "vicious" dogs like pit bulls or German shepherds.
And at a recent meeting of the Service Safety Committee, a city resident told the committee she is concerned her collection of reptiles, including an iguana, two corn snakes, and several bearded dragons - a type of lizard - would be banned under the proposed law.
The Service Safety Committee, under chairman Mike Olmstead, has decided to seek the advice from a herpetologist (reptile expert) to determine which reptiles should be named in the pending ban, and which ones excluded.
Jeff Studer, Perrysburg's animal control officer, earlier this year said he's concerned about the danger many exotic animals can pose to unsuspecting neighbors should the critters escape. The city currently has no law on the books to control such animals.
http://www.sent-trib.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13437&Itemid=81
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