Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 16, 1994 TAG: 9402160341
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Monday night, a short-handed, weather-stressed City Council cut short the Radford University student's impassioned plea against a proposed ordinance to prohibit people from keeping wild animals as pets.
Council already was leaning toward a compromise on the question when Eng arrived, well after the meeting had begun and well beyond the January cutoff date for comments.
"They pose no threat to the general public," he said as Vice Mayor Polly Corn shook her head.
"That's because I can't accept your statement," she said, to explain her gesture.
But Eng persisted, telling about Virgil's visit to kindergarten pupils. He even brought pictures.
Councilman Bob Nicholson asked Eng to submit his comments in writing. "I am very sympathetic to your situation," he said.
Eng's four-page statement says the city has "no hard data to support the need for such a stringent ordinance."
Earlier, council agreed to revisit the issue with an eye toward public protection rather than ownership restriction.
The proposed ordinance, as written and already approved on first reading, would prohibit keeping "any wild, dangerous or undomesticated animal" in Radford. City Attorney John "Bunny" Spiers, who drafted the ordinance after city police had requested it, has made it clear several times he has no use for snakes.
"Constrictor snakes scare the devil out of me," he said. Corn, who was filling in for Mayor Tom Starnes on Monday, said she doesn't care for them much either.
In a letter to City Manager Bob Asbury, Police Chief Col. A. C. Earles said one of his worries concerns snakes draped around the necks of their owners while they're behind the wheel.
But, Councilman David Worrell asked his colleagues to consider a compromise measure that would at least allow large pet snakes like Virgil while prohibiting their open display and requiring confinement during transport.
Spiers said the draft ordinance applies to other wild animals, too. That would include the flesh-eating piranha fish, he pointed out.
Violators of the proposed ordinance could be fined up to $500 or sentenced to up to six months in jail.
In other business, City Council:
Appropriated $190,000 for a new fire pumper and $11,000 to repair one of the Fire Department's older pumper units.
Postponed action to appropriate nearly $24,400 to implement a state-required cross connection control and backflow prevention program for the city's water system.
Approved a cooperative program with the Department of Motor Vehicles, effective July 1, that would require delinquent personal property taxes be paid before a motor vehicle could be registered.
Authorized the city attorney to condemn real property on which more than $250 in back taxes is owed.
by CNB