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JEFFERSON CITY -- The discovery of a three-foot long alligator underneath a car in Jefferson City has sparked a debate over whether city residents should be allowed to own exotic animals

The gator's owner Shawn Burton, got a $50 fine from the city for having his animal on the loose. But he contends someone tried to steal the gator, and that's how it ended up in the street.

Regardless, several council members agree that an exotic animal ordinance needs to be discussed.

But others who work with exotic animals have different ideas when it comes to creating an exotic animal ordinance.

Dick Frederick's been selling pet supplies and exotic animals in the Capital City for almost 20 years, everything from fish to ball pythons and even alligators.

"Those animals, when they're properly cared for, make perfect pets,” said Frederick.

Frederick believes he sold the gator that got loose Wednesday to it's owner about a year ago. Frederick is against an exotic animal ordinance saying the responsibility of pet ownership should fall on the owner, not the city.

"Personally, I don't think we need one,” said Frederick. “What we need is maybe education."

Education would help, but shelter director Karen Jennings thinks more needs to be done.

"We're gonna have to address the issue of non-traditional pets that are becoming part of Jefferson City,” said Jennings.

And that could include an exotic animal ordinance, which the city currently does not have, and hasn't considered in several years.

"There's no restriction currently on what we're terming 'exotic animals,” said Drew Hilpert, city attorney for Jefferson City. “Alligators, obviously being the one currently in vogue."

Shelter director Jennings says the kinds of animals people want in Jefferson City is changing from dogs and cats, to more unusual pets, and the city code needs to reflect that.

"We're going to have to address the alligators and the monkeys that could come into town,” said Jennings.

It's a call that Frederick gets from time to time from people wanting to buy monkeys.

“I can get them, but I usually try to talk people out of them,” said Frederick.

Which is why Jennings believes a discussion needs to be had among residents and council members on how the city will handle exotic animals.

“I think eventually we're going to have to have a definition of an exotic animal and then if we have to make a case to talk about the care of those animals, we can do that,” said Jennings.

"I'm sure that that will be discussed in light of the alligator incident,” said Hilpert. “The council will need to decide whether it's something to take on."

Columbia has an exotic animal ordinance that makes it illegial for residents to own those types of animals.
http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=334021

Wow. One gator gets loose (one too many for the sake of the hobby, but still) and suddenly all "non-traditional" pets become an "issue"? Talk about over-reaction. Does Jefferson City call council meetings when a dog gets out? A cat? No--this is just a back-handed attempt to strip away the freedom of Jefferson City residents to keep what they wish in their own homes. "Ban the exotics in our city" seems to be a growing battle cry of our enemies. They are starting to realize they will find opposition in Washington. But they throw bills up anyway to put a cloth over our eyes and then work little by little on the city/county level were they will meet little to no opposition because few people pay attention to local politics. This is where we are going to lose the fight people. Not in congress or the senate, but in city councils, one munincipality at a time until trading herps becomes such a huge ball of legal red tape that the national industry dies. Geez, AR agendas are like roaches--you see one or two and there are thousands more hiding in every nook and cranny imaginable, waiting to spread misery while being near impossible to irradicate. I just wish they would leave us the hell alone, and that politicians would actually discuss important issues like balancing budgets/healthcare/welfare etc. and not "Mr. and Mrs. Jones have a pet python. We should take it away just because we don't think (i.e. been told) that's good for them to have."

Talk about hypocrisy. Missouri is the number one puppy mill state in the nation.

When I was a Junior in High School, I was walking to school one morning and what did I see when I crossed Rummel Creek while on my way? Why, it was my two foot long American Alligator from the Houston Zoo. It had gotten loose due to a heavy rain a couple of weeks previously. Well, I went down there and caught the little guy and returned him home. When I finally did appear at school, late with wet pants and shoes, they understood. After all, it was just me.

Today's America is nothing like the one I grew up in, unfortunately.

jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Isn't Missouri in the natural range of the alligator?

I think it probably was at one time, but most likely been extirpated for some time.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer