Burton might put bite on exotic animals as pets
by Ashley A. Smith | The Flint Journal
Tuesday May 06, 2008, 12:17 PM
BURTON -- Don't bring your pet alligator or wolf dog to Burton.
The City Council gave preliminary approval Monday to a proposed ban on "exotic, dangerous or undomesticated animals found in the wilderness" following reports of a wolf dog and an alligator being kept as pets in the city.
No longer allowed would be raccoons, skunks, wolves and wolf-dog hybrids. Poisonous spiders and insects, venomous reptiles and cold-blooded animals capable of inflicting injury also would be banned.
A state law already puts restrictions on keeping some animals, but the city's proposal goes further.
"Before there was nothing on record for dealing with exotic animals," said Councilwoman Laurie Tinnin.
Some say, however, that the City Council is barking up the wrong tree.
The state law should be enough, said Kelly Arnott, whose pet Jasmine was taken last week because of allegations it is part wolf, part dog.
But Jasmine was returned to the family Monday because tests showed it is a husky, malamute, chinook and German shepherd mix, Arnott said.
The proposed ordinance passed its first reading 5-2, with Councilmen Danny Wells and Duane Haskins voting against it.
"I don't want to single people out because they have different interests," Wells said. "I want to see less government in people's lives. If you have something out of the ordinary, come down to the police station and put it on record."
The city also recently received reports of an alligator in a DeCamp Street house, although there is some dispute about whether the 33.5-inch freshwater alligator really is kept there.
The new ordinance comes with a bite, at least theoretically. A judge can determine a fine for anyone who violates it.
"I don't think we'll get a ton of complaints," Tinnin said, "But with the wolf-dog (situation), this would have allowed us to take action immediately."
Mayor Charles Smiley said he thinks the ordinance will be difficult to enforce and that it won't fully protect people from dangerous animals because even some domestic dogs can be vicious.
Residents can give their opinions on the issue in the next two weeks. The council is expected to discuss the issue again May 19.
See more in Community: Burton
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Ban on exotic animals
Included in Burton's proposed ordinance:
• No warm-blooded, carnivorous or omnivorous, wild or exotic animals, dangerous or undomesticated animals not considered ordinary house pets.
• The ban includes foxes, wild or exotic cats, nonhuman primates, raccoons, skunks, wolves and a wolf-dog hybrid.
• It also bans spiders or insects that can inflict poisonous bites, venomous and cold-blooded reptiles, snakes 6 feet or longer, crocodiles, piranha fish, sharks and other dangerous cold-blooded animals.
• Residents have 10 days once the ordinance is enacted to remove banned animals from the city.
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/in..._on_exoti.html