-Under a law passed unanimously by Lebanon City Council last night, it is now illegal to own a snake that is larger than 4 1/2 feet long."



-The city’s new law also sets limits for four-legged reptiles at 10 pounds and exotic birds at 5 pounds.





City Council passes limits on pet-exotic-critter sizes



Jason Meily cuddles with a Borneo blood python while his fiancee, Erica Shay, clutches a Savannah monitor yesterday at Meily s store, Pets-N-Stuff, 2641 Cumberland St. Owning either reptile when it is full-grown will be illegal in Lebanon under a barnyard animal and exotic animal law passed last night by City Council. (John Latimer / Lebanon Daily News)City snake owners, it’s time to get out your tape measures.

Under a law passed unanimously by Lebanon City Council last night, it is now illegal to own a snake that is larger than 4 1/2 feet long.



That means owning just about any adult snake is illegal, according to Jason Meily, owner of Pets-N-Stuff at 2641 Cumberland St.



“Almost all snakes grow to at least 4 or 5 feet,” said Meily. “Even a corn snake, which we sell a lot of. It’s skinny, but it will grow to at least that size.”



Meily, who has owned the North Lebanon Township pet store for the past year, said there are lots of snake owners in the area. He sells several snakes a week, he said, as well as 50 mice daily and another 50 rats a week, which are used to feed the slithery pets.



“The snake part — that’s going to hurt us if people take this law to heart,” he said



The city’s new law also sets limits for four-legged reptiles at 10 pounds and exotic birds at 5 pounds.



The size standards were put in place to clarify the city’s existing “barnyard animal and exotic animal” ordinance after a city man suggested that residents be allowed to raise chickens in their backyards.



That idea was quickly dismissed by council on the recommendation of Fire Commissioner Barry Fisher, who is also the assistant director of public safety. Fisher noted that the city’s public-safety inspectors have their hands full dealing with





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enough problems, including issues with less-exotic pets like cats and dogs, and don’t need the added burden of inspecting chicken pens.

The previous ordinance did not allow fowl to be raised in the city, but it did not specifically prohibit chickens.



To close the loophole, council amended the ordinance to include chickens and toughened it by adding the section on exotic animals. Owners must also keep their exotic pets in cages at all times.



Councilman Wiley Parker said the city will not actively be searching for violators, but if it receives a complaint, it will investigate. Fines range from $50 to $300.



“It’s ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell,’” he said. “We are not going to go looking for them. But if somebody reports to us that there is an 8-foot snake somewhere, we are going to have to deal with it.”

http://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_12455574

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