The Chula Vista, California City Council will discuss an overhaul of the city’s current animal laws tomorrow at its Tuesday, February 28th meeting. Among the amendments presented in this wide-ranging, proposed ordinance is a ban on certain “wild animals” and other provisions that impact reptile owners and businesses.

This proposal bans the sale, possession for sale, importation or breeding of a wild animal, and declares that “no person may possess or maintain the following:”

• venomous reptiles;
  
• birds attaining an adult weight of over 15 pounds;
  
• rodents attaining an adult weight of over 10 pounds;
  
• any crocodilian (Order Crocodilia);
  
• all boa and python species (Family Boidae) attaining an adult weight of over 15 pounds or an adult overall length of over 3 ½ feet;
  
• all monitor lizard species.

For a complete list of the animals impacted by the ordinance refer to the full text of the proposal located here. The proposal states that this ordinance will take effect, and be in full force, on the 13th day after its adoption. The proposal is set to be discussed at the February 28, 2012 City Council meeting (Council Chambers, City Hall – 276 Fourth Avenue, 4:00 p.m.). All pet owners, pet business operators and anyone else affected by this proposal should attend the meeting and contact the council.

Thanks again to PIJAC for bringing this to our attention.

A radio debate over whether citizens of the United States should have the right to own exotic pets is scheduled for tomorrow's The Diane Rehm Show on NPR at 11 AM Eastern Time.

For more information on the show and how and where to tune in, check out the Diane Rehm Show web site.

The right to own pythons, tigers, chimps and other exotic pets depends on where in the US you live. The legal US wildlife industry doesn’t get much national attention unless someone is hurt, an exotic pet gets loose or an ecosystem is damaged. A new report links Burmese pythons released in the Florida Everglades to the severe declines of in the region's mammals. In Ohio police shot and killed dozens of exotic animals including wolves, lions, and bears reportedly set free by their distraught owner. As some fight for more regulation, breeders, brokers and owners of exotic pets say they are being unfairly targeted. Guest host Susan Page and a panel discuss battles over the legal wildlife trade.

Guests
Wayne Pacelle - President and C.E.O. of the Humane Society of the United States
Andrew Wyatt - president of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers
Zuzana Kukol - president and co-founder of Responsible Exotic Animal Ownership (REXANO)
Tim Harrison - director of Outreach for Animals, and advocate group for proper behavior around wildlife

UPDATE: Feb 1, 2013 2:15pm - To listen to an archive of today's Diane Rehm Show you can stream it at http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=15416