Agenda - 02-15-1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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J _ I WILD, NON.-IOMESTIC ANIMAL ISSUE PAPER TOPICAL OUTLINE Incidents involving the escape of wild, non-domestic animals have raised concerns in Orange and adjacent counties that steps be taken to reduce or elimi- nate the potential danger to persons or property by these animals. On January 18, 1983, the Orange County Board of Commissioners considered the com- plaints of citizens as well as statements by the owners of wild animals and instructed the County Manager to prepare a report on the fiscal and enforcement implications of regulating such animals. Meetings were held February 1 and 11 to identify issues involved in regula- tion and prohibition approaches. -The first was with representatives from the N. C. Zoo, the N. C. Wildlife Commission, the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the N. C. Museum of Life & Sciences, the Humane Society of the U. S., the Animal Protection Society of Orange County, and the Animal Control Division. . The second was with William Sheffield, attorney representing pet owners and Dr. Michael Blyman and Mr. Sonny Yates, persons interested in animal preservation. This repot will outline what was learned from these meetings and from other inquiries made by staff. The information will be presented as a summary of testi- mony and findings as relate to six issues or questions. I. WHAT PROBLEMS ARE PROPOSED BY THE KEEPING OF WILD ANIMALS IN THE COUNTY? A. There his a confirmable danger to the owners and keepers and to the surrounding citizens who may come in contact with an escaped animal . 1. Nile not quantifiable, numerous newspaper accounts have been ecorded of individuals being injured and killed by pets such s lions, cheetahs, boa constrictors and pythons. One incident . involved a small 20 pound Capuchin monkey which attacked and killed a boy, age 4, whose father had purchased the pet three months earlier. 2. everal books have been written by experts attempting to rate the danger and potential to be dangerous that each animal xhibits by nature. There are variations in behavior, however, depending upon such factors as sex, age, level of activity, presence of other animals, procreation pattern, exposure to ;humans, type of care, amount of stalking space, etc. 3. any species, when forced to live in poorly designed captive conditions such as a cage that is too small or a cage in some- one's living room or basement, eventually develop aberrant behaviors that are not representative of that animal in the wild and may pose risks to the owner. 4. Some unusual and dangerous species are related as untrainable, untamable, difficult to keep alive in captivity. Nonetheless they remain popular to a segment of the public which stresses that a wild or exotic pet will bring much private and public reward. Roger Cares, a pet authority stated in an article of GEO Magazine. "Exotic pet owners see themselves as part of 1-5 ETite; a group of select people able to spend the money, run the risks, help educate the public, save a species, contribute in some unique way."