Group Urges McDonnell Crack Down on Dangerous Animals

Holy Christ - Here we go VA.

Group urges McDonnell to crack down on dangerous animals
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By Bill Sizemore
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 20, 2011
The Humane Society of the United States wants Gov. Bob McDonnell to toughen Virginia’s regulation of the sale and possession of dangerous wild animals in the wake of a big-game scare in Ohio this week.

Sheriff’s deputies shot nearly 50 wild animals, including dozens of lions and tigers, near Zanesville, Ohio, on Wednesday after the owner of an exotic-animal park threw their cages open and committed suicide.

Something similar could happen in Virginia, the humane society warned today, because of lax laws and regulations that the group called among the weakest in the country.

“How many incidents must we catalogue before states like Virginia take action to crack down on private ownership of dangerous exotic animals?” Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the humane society, said in a statement.

The group called on McDonnell to issue an emergency order or otherwise direct his administration to adopt regulations banning dangerous animals.

Tucker Martin, a McDonnell spokesman, said the governor would look into it.

“The governor is concerned about any threats to public safety that could be presented by personal ownership of such animals,” Martin said by email. “In the wake of yesterday’s tragic situation in Ohio, the administration will look further into the laws in the commonwealth regarding this issue.”

Debbie Leahy, a captive wildlife regulatory specialist at the humane society, said Virginia requires permits for the possession of wolves, coyotes, bears, raccoons, skunks, hyenas, big cats, alligators and crocodilies, but allows exemptions for breeders, dealers and exhibitors licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“USDA licenses are easy to obtain,” Leahy said. “I could, for example, decide I’m going to exhibit my pet bunny at birthday parties. So I go out and get a USDA license to exhibit animals. Once I have that license, I can get anything – tigers and chimpanzees and rhinos and elephants.”

Moreover, Virginia has no restrictions at all on the possession of primates, Leahy said.

“It’s a very weak law and it’s a very poorly enforced law,” she said.

Virginia is one of about 10 states being targeted by the humane society after the Ohio incident for alleged lax regulation of wild animals.

Leahy said an ideal law or regulation would outlaw possession of specified animals – big cats, bears, primates, wolves, venomous and constricting snakes – except by accredited zoos and sanctuaries.

The society offered a sampling of incidents in Virginia over the past decade that it said show the hazards of harboring dangerous wild animals:

-- An adult java macaque attacked his owners while sharing the same bed in Surry County in May.

-- Six chimpanzees escaped an enclosure at an animal farm in Mechanicsville in July 2010.

-- A man was attacked twice in two weeks by his pet capuchin monkey, who bit his left hand, severing a finger, in Chesapeake in March 2010.

-- A 16-year-old employee at the Luray Zoo was attacked by an adult tiger, causing severe injuries to her left hand and arm, in November 2008.

-- A 25-year-old woman was found strangled to death by her pet python in Virginia Beach in October 2008.

-- A 5-year-old boy was bitten by a black bear at Maymont Park in Richmond in February 2006.

-- Two Asiatic bears were shot and killed after they escaped from their enclosure at the Natural Bridge Zoo in December 2003.

Pilot writer Julian Walker contributed to this report.



http://hamptonroads.com/2011/10/group-urges-mcdonnell-crack-down-dangerous-animals

Wait what? How'd this get pinned on us!!!

I agree though, I was almost fatally bit by a ball python hatchling today

smb2585 wrote:

Leahy said an ideal law or regulation would outlaw possession of specified animals – big cats, bears, primates, wolves, venomous and constricting snakes – except by accredited zoos and sanctuaries.
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/10/group-urges-mcdonnell-crack-down-dangerous-animals

contricting snakes? really? im not retarded.... so i will keep whatever the hell i want. humane society that guy in ohio was a total freaking ***, what did he think was going to happen to his poor animals? what a jerk

Focal X wrote:

Wait what? How'd this get pinned on us!!!

I agree though, I was almost fatally bit by a ball python hatchling today

lol, i got bit by that het albino girl today.... sneaky little wench

<~never been bit... its all in the hands of the owners... you guys are setting a bad example! Control your deadly python!!!

smb2585 wrote:

<~never been bit... its all in the hands of the owners... you guys are setting a bad example! Control your deadly python!!!

LMFAO, ROFL......... nick sold me the het albino, its all nick's fault!!

I like the feisty ones





(ok just the small ones)

Thats part of the reasion I dont tell anybody around me about my snakes. Most people dont understand our instrest in them. And that could lead to that phone call..... the guy next door has deadly snakes.....

Yea Steve... we don't tell alot of people around us what we have.. just close family and friends... if the nosy old man across the street knew we had as many as we have he would be on the phone quick.... not that our BPs are aggressive... its just something we don't wanna deal with.

I can't stand the Humane Society and their vendetta against pet owners. I think the statistics they listed are actually pretty encouraging... in 8 years, only one person has died from an exotic animal and there's only been 4 attacks. The majority of attacks and escapes even happened at zoological parks, not someone's private home. Yes, these rare and isolated incidents scream for more legislation and restriction of individual liberties .

I know I will prob get some neg. comments on this but I actually agree sort of on a law regulating animals. but use some commonsense. wolves, coyotes, bears,hyenas, big cats, alligators and crocodilies yes these can be very dangerous to keep dont ban them just require a home inspection of the enclosures. snakes that are venomous should be highly regulated depending on whether it is deadly to humans. constricting snakes should be regulated too a permit and home inspection of any snake over 12ft or maybe 50 pounds laws do protect us but need to be made by someone with a brain. I have a morbid fear of spiders and would pass a law demanding the extermination and ban of every spider in our state so obviousely I would not be the right person to make that decision.

I don't think the people that would make that decision would have the knowledge or brains to differentiate between the species so something like ball pythons could get wrapped up in a ban against "deadly" pythons.

Yep. I do think that CERTAIN exotic animals by ALL means should be regulated better... for instance tigers, bears, etc. I can see them only being allowed by rehabilitation places, sanctuaries, zoo, etc.

But as for our snakes and other herps/reptiles... I don't get it... like Brian said... most of the attacks they listed in this state happened at zoos and parks. Did they tell what events led up to the attacks?

I agree there needs to be laws, but they should be made with input of people that have the knowlage.... not by people that have not kept them. and with out the input of so called TV people that dont have a clue. one that comes to mind billy the extermeter.

that's exactly how i feel. a ball python should not be in the same class as say a Burmese or retic thus one law should not govern both snakes plus A law cannot be made correctly by a person who is scared or ignorant on the subject. for instance i wouldn't try to pass a law on brain surgery! i don't know anything about it! if a law is to be passed it should written by a group of people with lots of knowledge on exotics who personally keep them and each species involved should have its own specialized representative who can give facts for example a snake rep. tiger rep. monkey rep. (ha ha a lil monkey in a suit) all of the risks need to be weighed by people who have personal experience with each animal. this would help more correctly and fairly create a law that will help people not punish them.

Makes sense...

This is a topic that boils my blood. The Humane Society is an ideological extremist group that does very little in regards to helping animals in need. They are like PETA, emotional, uneducated and ideological. And this is coming from a liberal leaning independent. Politician who listen to the Humane Society and want to ban "dangerous animals" then i suggest they ban horses, because horses kill and injure more people than any other "exotic" that people own. Laws, yes sure, Florida is having some major issues with their exotic species, but that is florida. How many Burmese pythons are going to propagate and live in Vermont or New York or even Virginia? One good winter and these guys are gone. So each state should review their environmental laws and establish proper laws based on sound science, not ideological lobby groups with an agenda. Environment? Cats kill more endangered migratory birds than ANY exotic snake in the united states. Why don't we ban cats? It is just ridiculousness..... (stepping off soap box). :vomit:

I love va I hope they outlaw ball pythons them I can run a black market smuggling of them an make millions trust me if they outlaw them I'll be selling pastels at 2 grand a pop with a special discount for my va herps friends you guys will only have to pay 1950! Lol

gatto152 wrote:

I love va I hope they outlaw ball pythons them I can run a black market smuggling of them an make millions trust me if they outlaw them I'll be selling pastels at 2 grand a pop with a special discount for my va herps friends you guys will only have to pay 1950! Lol

I think that some species (tigers, lions and such) should be in places that are equipped to handle them properly and feed them accordingly, so zoos or rehab places. I don't think it is safe to have a 16 yr old working in a tiger enclosure, I don't think it is safe to allow your monkey to sleep in the bed with you or half of the other things that were listed. I don't consider my snake or lizards dangerous threats because I know how to treat them, and if I was uncomfortable I would find it an appropriate home. I have two savvies that are aggressive, they bite on a daily basis, but that doesn't mean I don't take necessary precautions and I do not allow other people to touch them (not even my husband). I think the laws governing pets/wild animals should be reviewed and modified as necessary by people who understand the animals, habitats and unfortunately the public. There will always be people trying to get rid of the things they don't understand and people like us who fight for it...

Specking of safe work places we cant hire under 16 because they( the city) concider this a hazzards work invioment. I work in a pet store.

leftoflarry wrote:

Politician who listen to the Humane Society and want to ban "dangerous animals" then i suggest they ban horses, because horses kill and injure more people than any other "exotic" that people own.

True story. I've been put into the hospital by horses on many occasions and I've had several friends die in horse accidents. But the regulations on horse ownership and maintenance are virtually non-existent. So if they don't care that I climb on a 1000+ pound untrained animal in my backyard without a helmet or anyone to watch me then I sure as hell don't think they have the right to tell me what reptiles I can keep

On a side note... I'm not stupid enough to climb on an untrained horse in my backyard... I do that at the barn in a riding ring.

Lokielani wrote:

I think the laws governing pets/wild animals should be reviewed and modified as necessary by people who understand the animals, habitats and unfortunately the public. There will always be people trying to get rid of the things they don't understand and people like us who fight for it...

I agree.... I think that someone highly educated and has plenty of hands on experience should be able to make decisions about exotic animals as pets. I don't see how anyone can say all snakes are deadly pythons and such.. and generally it is owner negligence as to why an accident happens with any pet... I have been more injured by my cats and alyssa's hamster than I have with our snakes... I might have had a scare of almost being struck but between the stupid hamster bites and the cat scratches that I probably deserved for playing rough with the cats anyway... I just dont get it.. I hope it doesnt go any further than the original article I posted but we will see I guess once election time comes closer... or some other stupid idiot does something wrong with his pets.

Just want to point out to herp enthusiasts who have no problem banning individual ownership of dangerous exotics like tigers, etc that many of the general population feels the exact same way about ball pythons and harmless lizards. I've heard the argument "no one needs to own them" played out many times and not just by PETA and HSUS.

The exotic animal enthusiast group as a whole is much larger than its individual hobby segments and we need to stick together and work against banning passage of laws against the right to keep ANY exotic animal! Otherwise, it will be continued piecemeal legislation, starting with tigers and working down to pythons and monitors. Just ask anyone in NYC. Divide and Conquer is a strategy the politicians and interest groups know very well.

I said tigers and lions and things belong in zoos or whatever because I don't think most people who want pets like those can really give them the life they deserve. To me, if someone wants to own something so be it, I really think people should own what they want, as long as they have the knowledge and means to take care of it properly. There was a guy here who had a caiman, a mountain lion, among other things and from what I've heard (I don't know the whole truth with him)he didn't care for them properly and he kept them in his pet shop occasionally, the Caiman mostly lived there from what I remember. It was cool when I was little but thinking back, if I was the caiman I wouldnt want to be kept in a kiddie pool half full of water with kids screaming at me all day. So, yeah...

Quote :

I really think people should own what they want, as long as they have the knowledge and means to take care of it properly.

Absolutely! I think the animal's quality of life is of first importance so maybe a license available to anyone who can show proper knowledge would be a good idea for such animals with maybe a clause that it is automatically awarded after a set number of days unless good reason can be found not too.

Licenses are always good in my opinion, if you go through the trouble and cost of getting one than you are more likely to be serious about the animal(s) you want to own.