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WQAD (Moline, Illinois) 04 March 05 Snake dealer fined for selling poisonous snakes
Lake Zurich, Illinois: A Lake Zurich snake dealer who sold three poisonous snakes to undercover authorities has been fined 100 dollars.
Lake County officials say 23-year-old Kenneth Jaros pleaded guilty this week to selling aquatic animals -- a misdemeanor. He allegedly sold two copperhead snakes and a puff adder to undercover Illinois Department of Natural Resource officials outside a mall.
Authorities also allege Jaros ran a Web site that advertised poisonous snakes for sale.
He also was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, one year of court supervision and make a 500 dollar donation to an animal shelter.
Snake dealer fined for selling poisonous snakes

>> Lake County officials say 23-year-old Kenneth Jaros pleaded guilty this week to selling aquatic animals -- a misdemeanor.

What!?!?!

Meanwhile, note another article linked from this page show how straight Illinois has their priorities...

www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=3030748

I honestly believe it may be because Illinois has no permit system which causes much of the "underground" and irresponsible actions. Another problematic aspect may be the fact that the Illinois dangerous animal act is under the department of agriculture and not the DNR (yet they both seem to enforce it...but differently?). Selling venomous snakes in a mall parking lot is about a shady as business gets (what other kinds of busniness is commonly conducted in a mall parking lot?). Bans pop up every day it seems in Illinois, yet they keep getting shut down. I wonder how people would react to a permit proposal if you tacked on some animals which are currently illegal along with some which are currently not illegal....while this seems like a good idea in my head...I am sure it would cause a swap meet uproar and it too would die (and everyone would miss the boat to fair legislation). Which is why I need to leave this wonderfull flat state...the hobbiests are as equaly irresponsible and dumb as their political opponents...so no good will ever come. Except of course Rob Carmichael's new rattle snake museum and reptile rampage. Thanks everyone for letting me vent.

Are you saying that the cause of people breaking the law by illegally possessing and selling venomous snakes is because Illinois doesn't have a permit system? If so, are you blaming Illinois for why people keep venomous illegally here, or did I misunderstand what your first sentence read?

Just to clear things a bit more, while the Illinois Dept. of Agriculture wrote the Dangerous Animals Act, it is the DNR that enforces it. There is no difference in its enforcement at the state level. Local municipalities and units of government can be more restrictive than the state, but then you're talking about local ordinances versus the state Act.

I will agree with you that Rob Carmichael is a class act. And try to remember that usually things at the state level take a lot longer than most of us would like to get things resolved. So I think good will come, but you need to be patient.

Certainly this hobby doesn't need any more black eyes than it already has. But if people are going to break the law by keeping and selling venomous illegally, they're going to get caught, it will probably make the news, and guess what-- another black mark for all of us. But I don't think it is the individual state's fault for not providing a permit system. It is plain and simply the violator's fault for choosing to break the law.

Scott Ballard

I respect you a lot and I almost mentioned you in my post. After talking to you for about an hour on the phone one day I am aware it is the DNR which enforces it. There may have been some misconceptions from my post be cause it was simply venting about everything like a baby. The statement I believe you are reffering too was actually reguarding the dept. of ag. passing on incorrect information and you Mr. Ballard are doing your part to correct their mistakes and I appreciate it. I was also trying to be as indirect in my statements as I could in order not to raise a huge mess. I believe it is not just the illegal venomous keepers but all the underground actions in this state which are the problems. But I actually do not totally mean underground since much if this is right out in the open at swaps. So do I feel the lack of a permit system is a big cause of the problems? Yes I do. I feel if venomous were under a permit and large snakes were under a caging requirement we could possibly get some other things which should be permit only under this. Then maybe we could control some extremely low life actions which occur at the swaps. Instead the law is carefully worked (and I think you know what I mean). While I respect Lee Watson as an originator of the reptile shows and his quickness to help people and stand up for them is an admireable trait, we all know there are some things at his show which could use some cleaning up. Venomous is too much of a liability for lee to allow in the crouded weekend mess there anyway so I really only see things getting better there if a lure like a permit system including venomous is used. Make it 2000 hours and 2 years training if you will and still have a caging requirement. Then tack on some animals which are currently allowed to be sold like big monitors, large snakes, etc. I would just personally like to see these huge snakes and big lizards I see passed around going to good homes and by seeing people showing a document to a vendor to prove this I would sleep so much nicer. Oh, and if I could finally keep some of the animals I have spent so much time researching it would be a nice bonus. I am sorry if it seemed I was purely attacking the state. I mean no disrespect toward the DNR. I do think it would be nice to get somewhere with Illinois Laws though. And as another note, I speak very highly of you to my organization and our aim is toward better responsibility among the hobby which may lead toward more fair legislation. Sorry if I do not seem patient, I am...just needed a vent there. By the way, check out our display on responsible keeping at the CHS reptile fest.

I keep reading in these forums that Illinois does allow dangerous animals [venomous snakes]; this is not correct… No we don’t have an official permit system but if you want to keep dangerous animals in Illinois you need to meet the criteria found in the Dangerous Animal Act…

The Full Act can be found Here

720 ILCS 585/1) (from Ch. 8, par. 241)
Sec. 1. No person shall have a right of property in, keep, harbor, care for, act as custodian of or maintain in his possession any dangerous animal except at a properly maintained zoological park, federally licensed exhibit, circus, scientific or educational institution, research laboratory, veterinary hospital or animal refuge in an escape proof enclosure…….

Meet the above criteria and you can have your dangerous animal…It’s not easy but it can be done…

Can you imagine what they would do to someone who's captive Mamba bit and killed someone? Drawn & Quartered I bet.

What a sad state of affairs when neglegence is dismissed.

Al
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The more people I meet...the better I like my venomous snakes.