Here's the NY Daily News article (6/30/99)

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Posted by Gibson on July 01, 1999 at 15:13:44:

In Reply to: Re: New York Iguana ban posted by harry's Dad on July 01, 1999 at 15:06:05:

From: News and Views | City Beat |
Wednesday, June 30, 1999

Exotic Pets' Days Numbered

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
Daily News City Hall Bureau Chief

he Board of Health's most-wanted list of the wild and
dangerous: The ferocious ferret. Killer kinkajous. The
hardhearted hippopotamus. Add the sea lion, the gorilla, the
vulture and kangaroo. Hyena, porcupine and otter, too.

New York, it seems, wants to take the
wild kingdom out of the urban jungle.

The city yesterday issued a first-time
list of pets New Yorkers can't have �
and it reads like the passenger list for
Noah's Ark.

It's four pages of single-spaced
diversity, from elephants to opossums,
scorpions to woodchucks.

"Public safety," the department said in a terse statement, "is the
significant concern."

Some New Yorkers will be surprised. The list includes relatively
familiar friends that might turn up in any apartment � pythons,
iguanas, ferrets.

"We're not criminals for owning these pets," said Gary Kaskel, a
ferret owner who wanted his beloved Ginger left off the list. "This is
a facist government."

Violators could face fines of $100 to $2,000, but
city officials said there was no dragnet in the
making. It was time to replace a broadly
worded rule with a comprehensive list, they
said.

In the absence of a master list, the city often
found itself in court when dangerous pets were
seized.

"They are not going to go on a ferret bounty
hunt," said mayoral spokeswoman Sunny Mindel.

Most of the animals went on the list without a sound of discontent.
Grizzly bears. Snapping turtles. Scorpions. Bats. Antelopes.

Guinea pigs, fine. Armadillos, sorry.

The parakeet, okay. The walrus, nope.

Dogs and cats, of course, get a reprieve.

Most of the problems came with ferrets. The city said they're
unpredictable, in some cases attacking children. Owners disagreed,
and city Councilwoman Kathryn Freed (D-Manhattan) has
legislation to exclude the ferrets.

Ferrets are "prone to vicious, unprovoked attacks," the board said in
its statement.

Follow Ups:

Re: Here's the NY Daily News article (6/30/99) Kitty 7/01/99 (4)
- WAIT! Changed my mind... Kitty 7/01/99 (3)
  - Unprovoked attacks..... Juby 7/02/99 (0)
  - Re: WAIT! Changed my mind... BabyHerp 7/02/99 (1)
    - Re: WAIT! Changed my mind... meagan 7/02/99 (0)

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: : From: News and Views | City Beat | : Wednesday, June 30, 1999 : Exotic Pets' Days Numbered : By MICHAEL R. BLOOD : Daily News City Hall Bureau Chief : he Board of Health's most-wanted list of the wild and : dangerous: The ferocious ferret. Killer kinkajous. The : hardhearted hippopotamus. Add the sea lion, the gorilla, the : vulture and kangaroo. Hyena, porcupine and otter, too. : New York, it seems, wants to take the : wild kingdom out of the urban jungle. : The city yesterday issued a first-time : list of pets New Yorkers can't have � : and it reads like the passenger list for : Noah's Ark. : It's four pages of single-spaced : diversity, from elephants to opossums, : scorpions to woodchucks. : "Public safety," the department said in a terse statement, "is the : significant concern." : Some New Yorkers will be surprised. The list includes relatively : familiar friends that might turn up in any apartment � pythons, : iguanas, ferrets. : "We're not criminals for owning these pets," said Gary Kaskel, a : ferret owner who wanted his beloved Ginger left off the list. "This is : a facist government." : Violators could face fines of $100 to $2,000, but : city officials said there was no dragnet in the : making. It was time to replace a broadly : worded rule with a comprehensive list, they : said. : In the absence of a master list, the city often : found itself in court when dangerous pets were : seized. : "They are not going to go on a ferret bounty : hunt," said mayoral spokeswoman Sunny Mindel. : Most of the animals went on the list without a sound of discontent. : Grizzly bears. Snapping turtles. Scorpions. Bats. Antelopes. : Guinea pigs, fine. Armadillos, sorry. : The parakeet, okay. The walrus, nope. : Dogs and cats, of course, get a reprieve. : Most of the problems came with ferrets. The city said they're : unpredictable, in some cases attacking children. Owners disagreed, : and city Councilwoman Kathryn Freed (D-Manhattan) has : legislation to exclude the ferrets. : Ferrets are "prone to vicious, unprovoked attacks," the board said in : its statement.

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