Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Snake Bite Victim Fighting To Reclaim Snakes

ST. FRANCIS, WIS. -- The St. Francis man bitten by a venomous pet snake in April has recovered some of his snakes.

Jeremy Loveland had more than three-dozen reptiles in his home when he was bitten by a Gaboon viper April 11. His snakes were removed from the home.

He now has most of the nonvenomous snakes back, and he is trying to reclaim the venomous reptiles.

However on April 19, St. Francis passed a city ordinance banning venomous snakes and requiring a permit for more than two nonvenomous snakes shorter than five feet.

Loveland insists his snakes pose no risk.

"No need to worry," Loveland told 12 News. "I have them all under lock and key."

On April 14, from a Froedtert Hospital bed, Loveland showed 12 News where the several-inch-long fangs pierced his wrist.

The scars are now healing. The swelling is subsiding. But Loveland said the emotional wound of losing those venomous snakes remains.

"I have every intention of getting them back," Loveland said. "These things are basically my heart and soul. To have them taken away is to take away my soul itself," he said.

The new city ordinance says when considering permit requests, the Health Department will consider the degree of danger, health risk and nuisance posed by an animal.

www.wisn.com/news/27781509/detail.html

"requiring a permit for more than two nonvenomous snakes shorter than five feet."

Why? This is so predjudiced.
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It is simply more arbitrary government control/regulation, that is why.

I've got a suggestion for what they can do to my snake that is shorter than two feet.
Our government cannot win the war on drugs, cannot keep illegal aliens out of our country (protect our borders.) and cannot successfully build and maintain proper roads or adequately educate children. what makes them think they can enforce such a law unless someone is dumb enough to tell them what they are keeping?
Obviously in the case of the guy getting bit by the Gaboon viper it came to light, but other than that why volunteer information of what you have to a corrupt government that no longer represents it's own people?

I'm with you on this one. I am all for obeying the laws if they are reasonably written. But most states and many cities are creating laws based on false information and prejudice, with no concern for the affect it will have on us as hobbyists. Are we ever considered when these laws are passed? If they will not agknowledge our existence, why should we agknowledge their laws?

Its about politics. I have had politicians tell me that it is "political suicide" not to support such legislation because the animal-ignorant public majority percieve reptiles and exotic animals as predators of their children. Therefore opposition to such legislation is percieved as support for allowing people to keep dangerous wild animals that could kill their children, if they were to escape, and get into a neighbors yard.
The fact that this never happens is irrelevant.

It almost never happens...

After the death of the guy who died while working his hots and two midsized western diamondbacks were discovered loose in the residence, a hot that had been captured outside the apartment was donated to the local Zoo. Luckily the private individual didn't release the news to the public...

Yes I am concealing some details as I don't need some random official or press reading this and running with it...

As far as I am concerned, it still hasn't happened, since you did not report that any of the escaped hots tagged anyone except the owner, who was not uninvolved.

One of the hots was actually collected outside of the building in which he lived...

He didn't get tagged.. he simply died while working with the snakes and the animals escaped from the open cage...

Oh, and I forgot to ad, this discussion is about the municipality having a two NONvenomous snake limit and they cant be over 5 feet. Venomous is entirely prohibited, but no one on this thread argued with that point.

As with many regulations it is not based on any real facts.. for example in Pennyslvania one of the municipalities prohibits the "possession of any venomous reptiles including venomous turtles" (actual language)... another municipality prohibits the possession of a "lion, tiger, hippopotomas, or a boa constrictor or iguana larger than six(6) feet in height" (again actual language)... The first one has been on the books since the 1980s, the second has been on the books since the 1970s....

I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it political suicide. I think the people who actually follow these issues are in the minority. Most of my neighbors would probably be indifferent if they knew of my snake collection. Even my friends who have serious snake phobias are usually ok coming over to visit as long as the snakes are in a cage. It is usually a vocal few who cause problems for us. As public reps, it is their job to protect our rights if we are not interfering with the rights of others. When a bill is introduced on a false premise, it is their job to determine what the facts are before they make a decision. I'm not suggesting that things are or have ever actually been done this way, but it's a nice thought.

While I agree with your sentiments, personally I don't want to have to hide in the shadows. Doing that is like admitting you're wrong. The fact that it's going to be hard to enforce is actually going to work against us in that when someone does get caught it will be an isolated incident, making it seem all the more unusual to keep herps as pets.

I really don't know what to do about it but I would have a very hard time criticizing anyone for wanting to hide when their lifelong collection suddenly becomes illegal overnight. It isn't fair.

One other thing, it's wierd that the general public doesn't seem to make the connection between rediculous laws like this and government waste. If the residents of that county would get a bill to where they could actually see how much money was being spent on making and enforcing stupid laws like this, I bet there would be alot fewer stupid laws. I would like to see all these laws and ordinances spelled out kinda like they do on your phone bill: Nonvenomous snake protection fee: $2 per year, Green lawn enforcement fee: $5 per year, Mustard and mayo on both sides of the sandwich, deli shop fee: $1 per year. etc. If people could actually see it that way I doubt they'd stand for it.
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