By Tom Palmer
THE LEDGER
Published: Friday, September 11, 2009 at 2:26 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, September 11, 2009 at 11:58 p.m.
LAKELAND | As state wildlife officials consider new pet-ownership rules, wildlife officers continue to encounter people who aren't following the existing laws.
The latest case involves a Lakeland man who was keeping two unlicensed Burmese pythons, one 17 feet long and the second 11 feet long, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Officers charged Michael T. Hall, 37, of 1836 Jupiter St., Lakeland, on Wednesday with second-degree misdemeanors for not having the required permit and not having a critical-incident plan. Additionally, Hall received a warning for not having the animals microchipped.
The snakes were taken to a licensed facility for safekeeping.
Wildlife officials discovered the snakes as a result of an anonymous tip to the Wildlife Alert Hotline.
The FWC lists Burmese pythons as reptiles of concern, which requires owners to purchase an annual $100 permit. Owners are required to have the pets microchipped and must follow specific caging requirements based on the size of the reptile.
They also must keep a written and approved contingency plan in case of escape or natural disaster.
The new rules for captive wildlife went into effect in January 2008.
People who owned reptiles of concern prior to the effective date are still required to purchase the reptile of concern permit.
The FWC hosts Pet Amnesty Days several times a year. At these events, people who can no longer keep nonnatives as pets can turn them over to the FWC for placement. The next Pet Amnesty Day will be Oct. 3 for reptiles of concern only, at Gatorland, 14501 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando.
On Wednesday at the FWC's monthly meeting in Howey-in-the-Hills, commissioners directed agency staffers to look at the science behind personal pet ownership of reptiles of concern and breeding and sale by Florida's reptile industry and bring back a report at the next meeting in December in Clewiston.
For questions on animal compliance or to report wildlife law violations, call the toll-free Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.
[ Tom Palmer can be reached at
[email protected] or 863-802-7535. Read more views on the environment at
http://environment.theledger.com. ]
