Re: Interested, but couldnt pull up the links -ooooops

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Posted by KLorentz on September 22, 2002 at 00:07:35:

In Reply to: Interested, but couldnt pull up the links - posted by Ravenspirit on September 19, 2002 at 21:11:18:

That was the link but they pulled it . Here is the storey in whole .

Kevin

--- In NAROA@y..., "vbiguana" wrote:

This is the article printed from the Reading Eagle/Times in Reading
Pa. ( legalities)

> Exeter board backs off ban on exotic animals
Officials decide not to act on the proposal, which was prompted by
the escape of two pet crocodiles in May.

By Yvonne M. Wenger
Reading Eagle
Exeter Township supervisors have backed off a proposed ban on exotic
animals such as constrictor snakes, crocodiles, monkeys and piranha
fish.
The supervisors voted to indefinitely table the proposal, which grew
out of an incident in May when a pair of pet crocodiles wandered off
from a Shelbourne Road home.

Supervisor Gary T. Cuppels said the proposed ordinance was merely a
reaction to that situation.

"I don't think it's government's job to tell someone what they can or
cannot have," Cuppels said at a meeting Monday night.

The ordinance would have prohibited Exeter residents from keeping
exotic animals as pets.

Exeter Solicitor John A. Hoffert Jr. said the ban could not be
enforced in any practical way.

The supervisors also had discussed requiring exotic-pet owners to
register them with the township. But Hoffert did not advocate that
option.

He said that having police conduct spot inspections at pet owners'
homes would create an added burden on the force.

If an exotic pet were to injure someone, Hoffert said, it would be a
private matter and the owner would have the same liability that a dog
owner would have if the dog bit someone.

Police Chief Gerard A. Radke said he would contact officials in
Wyomissing, which has an exotic-animal ban, and ask if police there
have trouble enforcing the ordinance.

Pamela Clark of 251 Shelbourne Road was among the Exeter residents
who asked supervisors in June to consider the ordinance as a means to
protect residents, especially children.

Clark said Tuesday that she was disappointed with the decision to
table the proposal. She did not want to comment further because she
was not at Monday's meeting.

Two crocodiles escaped in late May from the home of owner David J.
Demko Jr. of 255 Shelbourne Road. One of the reptiles was 4 feet
long. The other was 21/2 feet.

Both were captured by authorities and later sold to a Maryland man,
according to the Demko family.

"I think the reaction of the public has since then died down,"
Hoffert said Monday.

Contact reporter Yvonne Wenger at 610-371-5015 or
ywenger@readingeagle.com

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