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WESH (Orlando, Florida) 04 March 08 Deltona Officials Say Man Can Keep 50 Venomous Snakes
Deltona, Fla.: A Deltona man housing more than 50 venomous snakes will be allowed to keep the snakes in his home.
The city of Deltona has no other choice but to allow Brian Radenberg to keep the snakes. "Our hands are tied," said Deltona Mayor Dennis Mulder.
The state of Florida has issued Radenburg a license to own snakes, including rattlesnakes, cobras and green mambas. The city ordinance prohibiting the reptiles within city limits has been proven null and void.
Deltona officials did try to require Radenburg to have a sticker on every entrance of his house to notify police officers of the snakes if officers ever need to come in his house. This proposal was rejected by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
"They asked us not to and kindly reminded us that they have jurisdiction," said Mulder.
Commissioner Zenaida Danizac said that the ordinance serves no purpose if the city can not enforce it.
"It doesn't make much sense to me either," Danizac said. "I mean we're having a feel-good ordinance that we supposedly must have."
The only portion of the ordinance the city can enforce is the number of non-venomous snakes Radenburge can have in his house, which is five. When it comes to venomous snakes, Radenburg can have as many as he would like.
Deltona Officials Say Man Can Keep 50 Venomous Snakes

ORLANDO SENTINEL (Florida) 06 March 08 On snakes, city decides to live and let hiss - Deltona finds that only the state has authority over the keeping of exotic animals around homes. (Denise-marie Balona)
Venomous snakes are free to stay in Deltona as pets so long as their owners have a state license.
City commissioners voted Monday night to change their rule for what animals residents can keep as pets. After the city tried to force a resident to get rid of his 50-plus cobras, vipers and other venomous snakes, it learned it has no say over who can keep such exotic animals.
Only the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has that authority. City resident Brian Radenberg is a snake handler licensed with the state agency.
City leaders have said they had no choice but to change Deltona's ordinance to allow dangerous animals whose owners have the state's OK.
Commissioners wanted to require owners to alert neighbors and the city of their reptiles, but they decided not to push the issue because the Fish and Wildlife Commission doesn't require it.
They wanted to make owners post signs alerting firefighters, police and other emergency workers. The state agency said it probably would challenge Deltona if the city did that, said acting City Attorney George Trovato.
"We don't have the authority to impose additional requirements," Trovato said.
Officials with the Florida Association of Counties met with the Fish and Wildlife Commission in late February to address similar concerns about dangerous animals.
Two of the association's suggestions were to have all owners of such animals have criminal-background checks and post warnings.
Cragin Mosteller, a spokeswoman for the association, said ideas were discussed but no action was taken. She said she expects the conversation to be the first of several.
"It will take some time to develop the best solution," she said. "The most important thing is we're talking."
On snakes, city decides to live and let hiss