ORD-2001-003 Ordinance to Prohibit the Keeping of Wild Animals Dangerous to Persons and Property

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z Ordinance Prohibitina the Display of Wild and Exotic Animals Within Orange Coun This - Ordinance prohibits the display of wild and exotic animals within Orange County specifically for the purposes of entertainment or amusement. It does not prohibit the exhibition of animals for educational purposes by non - profit groups, institutions or individuals. Section 2 of the Proposed Ordinance specifies that "it shall be unlawful for any person to display or sponsor a display of wild or exotic animals on any public or private property within Orange County." Section 3 of the proposed Ordinance details enforcement steps and penalties that include classification as a criminal offense, Class 3 Misdemeanor and the imposition of civil penalties of $50 per day per animal. The Board of Health recommended the passage of this Ordinance in official action at their January 25, 2001 meeting. The passage of the Ordinance is also endorsed by the Committee on Human and Animal Safety and by the Animal Protection Society of Orange County. It is worth noting that the Ordinance would only apply in the unincorporated areas of Orange County. Each municipality would have to adopt the Ordinance for the provisions to be applicable in their respective jurisdictions. Ordinance Prohibiting the Keeping of Wild Animals Dangerous to Persons and Property Within Orange County The Board of Health also reviewed the current Ordinance prohibiting the keeping of wild animals dangerous to persons and properties within Orange County as part,of its work in examining the potential ban on the display of wild and exotic animals. This Ordinance was first passed in 1983 and has not been reviewed since that passage. The Board of Health's Animal Control and Environmental Health Committee found confusing the language in the Ordinance pertaining to permitting the keeping of such animals during the Ordinance's phase in period and the accompanying language on structures and enclosures that accompanied the permits. That language had been included in the Ordinance to allow those residents who already owned such animals to continue to keep the animals until they died or the residents moved from the county. No permits are currently on file or valid under the provisions of the 1983 Ordinance. The county attorney's office reviewed the Committee's request and drafted the new Ordinance as attached. The Board of Health took official action at its January 25, 2001 meeting to recommend the attached Ordinance. The Ordinance contains none of the language.relating to the permitting of wild and dangerous animals and their physical enclosure that was contained in the previous language. This clarifies that the keeping of wild animals dangerous to persons and property within Orange County is not allowed. The only exemption allowed is for animals used for teaching and /or research purposes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is worth noting that the Ordinance and the proposed amendments only apply in the unincorporated areas of Orange County. Each municipality would have to adopt the ordinance for it to be applicable in their respective jurisdictions. Other than these changes the ordinance remains the same.