Thorold ponders ban on exotic animals

2007-10-07

Peter Downs & Tiffany Mayer, The Standard

Thorold politicians are hoping to close the barn door on exotic animals living in their city.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Coun. Jim Handley asked staff to prepare a report outlining options, including a ban, for dealing with exotic pets kept by Thoroldites.

The move comes after police found three lions, a three-legged jaguar, parrots and a bunch of monkeys during a weekend drug bust at a rural property at Kottmeier and Holland roads.

Animal protection officers with the Lincoln County Humane Society investigated, but didn’t press charges against property owners because there are no bylaws in Thorold banning people from keeping exotic pets.

Handley said this is an issue of public safety. “All you need is to go on a website and see the number of animals that escape from sanctuaries and zoos — some of the best in the world,” he said.

Handley also asked that staff determine how much it would cost the humane society to remove the animals from the property, once proposed to be the site of a public sanctuary for exotic animals.

Handley noted the property owner has continuously denied any animals were living there, despite the city having concerns and receiving tips otherwise since 2007 when council turned down the roadside zoo proposal from a group calling itself The Endangered Animal Rescue Society (TEARS).

After the proposal was rejected, the group’s Chris Morabito said he didn’t see the point in pursuing the sanctuary plan.

Morabito was among six men from St. Catharines and Thorold arrested in Sunday’s drug bust, in which police seized more than 385 marijuana plants from an outdoor growing operation with an estimated street value of $385,000.

Before Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Henry D’Angela said the city is consulting with the humane society to come up with an appropriate bylaw to make the municipality off limits to lions, jaguars and other exotic breeds.

“Now that we’re aware there are animals located on the site we’ll be acting to ensure both the safety of citizens and the animals as well,” he said.