Minutes - 19830118 - Laserfiche WebLink

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recommended a ban on private ownership of these types of animals. Mr. Wilson McKerrow, Chapel Hill resident: Said that he was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Humane Association for eighteen years and it is not in the interest of either the public or the animals that such animals be kept in confinement such as he had heard described tonight. He urged the Board consider an ordinance for protection of the public and the neighborhood. Ms. Karla Ball, County resident: Cited an obligation to "these rare animals" and called for a responsible County ordinance which set reasonable standards for keeping exotic animals. She asked that they not be banned from the County. Mr. Olin Doar, County resident: Said he worked at Green Valley Farms where his wife is a partner. Green Valley Farms is, he emphasized, a dog and domestic cat boarding and breeding facility only; no exotic animals are kept there. He added that Ms. Sue Pressman had helped Mr. Green obtain his first leopard in .Virginia where the Greens had gone to an animal auction. Mr. Green was interested in the leopard and Ms. Pressman told him there was a question as to whether or not this "was a free and legal cat" due to its having been purchased in North Carolina and taken without a permit to Virginia. With Ms. Pressman's help the Greens bought the leopard legally and returned to North Carolina without a permit. The USDA discovered this via the press which reported it. A representative of the USDA visited the Greens and eventually "con- fiscated that animal on our property for the leopard's life, until it died." He said the leopard belongs to Tim Green and is on his property now. Mr. Doar added that they had been unable to give the cat to any zoo because the zoos were unwilling to accept it. Ms. Jacquline Moredoch, Curator at the NC Museum of Life and Science and Orange County resident: Said the public was not well educated about exotic animals and that indiscriminate breeding of such animals needed to be controlled. She said she owned a cat and doesn't think they should be banned. Commissioner Whitted asked Ms. Moredoch how, if private ownership were per- ' mitted, breeding could be controlled. Ms. Moredoch said the owners would have to come to an agreement regarding that. Commissioner Lloyd asked if the animals could be kept without endangering the public. Ms. Moredoch replied that the Museum was able to do so adding that housing requirements should be very strict. Commissioner Marshall asked who provided the license and inspection for the Museum and Ms. Moredoch replied the Fish and Wildlife Service inspected every six weeks. She continued replying to Commissioner Walker that the Fish and Wildlife Service had no jurisdiction over Mr. Greene as he is a private individual . Mr. Sheffield said that the servals were particularly selected for their genetic makeup and that most zoos don't want genetically unknown cats. He con- tinued that devices were implanted in the females (to prevent conception and removed if a zoo wished to breed the animals.