Minutes - 19830118 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Jack Griffith, UNC Staff and County resident: Urged the Board to consider an ordinance of the type presented by Mr. Sheffield which claps ifies animals. He said such an ordinance provided protection for citizens and personal freedom for individuals who wished to keep such animals; an example he gave was keeping the animals for research purposes. He said he does keep servals for researc. and described his enclosure for the animals, Mr. Griffith cited the unique aspects of the Research Triangle Park, climate, professional researchers and yet still rural, which made it attractive to those doing such animal research. Mr. Griffith summed up his statement by saying that adoption of an ordinance such as Mr. Sheffield's would: 1) protect the public; 2) protect the animals; and, 3) provide a humane environment for the animals. Mr. Paul Modrich and Ms. Vickers Burdette, a husband and wife who live in Orange County and are on Duke's Staff: Both urged a rational approach to animal control . They own servals. They urged the classification approach to exotic animal control . Mr. Tim Greene, Orange County resident and owner of several exotic animals: Said he wished to clarify that the animals belong to him personally, and are not in any way connected with Greene Valley Kennels. He maintains that his animals are properly enclosed however, he said he planned to put up a fence. Mr. Greene invited the Commissioners to visit his animals. He said the USDA had refused him accredition , for two reasons: 1) fecal discharge; and, 2) a mudhole that existed when the inspector , visited. Mr. Greene described his enclosures and reiterated the safety of such , enclosures, He urged a "reasonable" ordinance and said he is opposed to banning , exotic animals from the County. Ms. Patrice Solberg, an attorney representing residents near Mr. Greene's 0 property, including herself: Cited the series of events which led to several of , the exotic animals being moved from Chatham County to Orange County. She continued , that cows had miscarried in Chatham County, due, presumably to the lions making noise; and, that one cow had been killed while the leopards were loose in Chatham County. , She added that there were no eyewitnesses to the killing but the cow's owner had , said its back was slashed open. She said the risk to human life was not worth taking 6 and asked for a total ban on exotic animals in Orange County under the authority • granted the Board by G.S. 153-A Article 6. Ms. Solberg said Ms. Sue Pressman, of the Humane Society of America and the American Veterinary Association both e •