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<br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 7, 2001 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. Lfl-b -- <br />SUBJECT: Report on Proposed Display of Wild and Exotic Animals Ordinance and <br />Proposed New Ordinance Prohibiting the Keeping of Wild Animals Dangerous <br />to Persons and Property <br />DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes <br />of Wild Animals Dangerous TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />to Persons and Property Within the Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Unincorporated Areas of Orange County Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Draft Ordinance Prohibiting the Display <br />of Wild and Exotic Animals Within the INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Unincorporated Areas of Orange County Rosemary Summers, ext 2411 <br />Draft Ordinance Prohibiting the Keeping <br />PURPOSE: 1.To receive information on a proposed Ordinance prohibiting the display of wild <br />and exotic animals within the unincorporated areas of Orange County. 2. To receive <br />information on the repeal of the existing (and the adoption of a new) Ordinance prohibiting the <br />keeping of wild animals dangerous to persons and property within the unincorporated areas of <br />Orange County. <br />BACKGROUND: In the summer of 2000, the Board of Commissioners heard a request from <br />the Committee on Human and Animal Safety, a local residents group, that the County institute <br />an Ordinance banning the display of exotic animals. The Board of Commissioners referred the <br />matter to the Board of Health. Over the past seven months, the Board of Health has studied <br />the matter thoroughly and worked with the county attorney's office to draft an Ordinance for <br />consideration by the Commissioners. The Board of Health's Animal Control and Environmental <br />Health Committee received extensive materials from the circus industry and from the <br />Committee on Human and Animal Safety which it considered over the course of the summer <br />and fall months. <br />The Board of Health believes an Ordinance is in order for two primary purposes: <br />1) to protect the health and safety of the citizens of Orange County, and <br />2) protect wild and exotic animals from potentially cruel, neglectful and abusive situations. <br />The Board of Health first considered this matter as an amendment to the current "Ordinance <br />Prohibiting the Keeping of Wild Animals Dangerous to Persons and Property within Orange <br />County." However, the Board rejected that proposal as potentially confusing to the public, and <br />instructed staff to address the issues of keeping and displaying animals in separate ordinances.