Huron-Kinloss council

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If you've always wanted to own a hyena, an ostrich or an alligator, you can't do it in Huron-Kinloss Township.

Council plans to proceed with a ban on exotic pets which includes about 20 different categories, from kangaroos and opossums to skunks, weasels, otters and badgers.

Bylaw enforcement officer Brianne Elliott brought a draft bylaw forward at the general committee meeting last night (April 5). This document will come to council for first and second reading at the April 19 meeting, allowing plenty of time for discussion and revision before the final bylaw is approved, she said.

The bylaw was fashioned after those currently enacted in Brockton and Goderich, said Elliott, who suggested advertising the proposed bylaw to allow for public comments prior to final approval.

A grandfathering clause has also been included to allow those people in the township who currently own any of the animals, subject to the ban, to provide proof of ownership, said Elliott. A registry of those animals will be maintained by the township. Otherwise, residents will be prohibited from owning any animals on the list of exotic pets.

Council agreed.

The list of exotic pets includes the following:

• All marsupials, such as kangaroos and opossums
• All non-human primates, such as gorillas and monkeys, except those monkeys used and kept by physically-handicapped persons to assist in their day-to-day living
• All Felids, such as tigers and lions, except the domestic cat
• All Canidae, except the domestic dog
• All viverrids, such as mongooses, civetc and genets
• All urside - bears
• All artidoactylus ungulates - even-toed hoofed animals such as the camel, hippopotamus, giraffe, antelope, yak, except the domestic horse, donkey, goats, sheep, swine and cattle

• All Perissodactylus Ungulates - odd-toed hoofed animals, such as the zebra and rhinoceros
• All procyonide, such as raccoons, coatis and cacomistiles
• All hyenas 
• All elephants
• All pinnipeds, such as seals, fur seals and walruses
• All snakes of the families Pythonidas and Boidas, such as vipers, rattlers, cotton mouths, copper heads and cobras
• All venomous reptiles
• All ratite birds, such as ostriches, rheas and cassowaries
• All diurnal and nocturnal raptors, such as eagles, hawks and owls
• All edentates, such as anteaters, sloths and armadillos
• All bats
• All crocodilians, such as alligators and crocodiles
• All venomous arachnids, such as scorpions, black widows and tarantulas
• All Mustelids, such as skunks, weasels, otters and badgers, except the domesticated ferret

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Monday, April 05, 2010