Cowlitz County cracks down on snakes
Cowlitz County Animal Services is cracking down on owners of exotic animals, Boa Constrictors and Pythons.
LONGVIEW, Wash. -- Cowlitz County Animal Services confiscated dozens of snakes Monday after learning the owners did not have permits.
Seven of Lois Shaver and Robert Winningham’s snakes were taken.
"We feel we’re being picked on right now because every chance they get their nailing the good guys," said Lois Shaver.
"We had a ball python get out about 4 days ago," said Robert Winningham.
Winningham and his wife Lois Shaver called animal services to report the missing snake, that’s when they say the problems started.
The couple owns over a dozen of the reptiles. Many of them are Ball Pythons and Boa Constrictors which are used for their business.
"They were all 8 feet and under and I don’t think there has ever been a recorded incident of a ball python eating anybody," said Winningham.
Cowlitz county is cracking down on snakes after reports about them getting lose and being around children.
Longview also has an ordinance requiring licenses for certain types of snakes, like Boa Constrictors and Pythons.
The snakes are however sold at Pet Works in Longview. Store manager, Matthew Bennett, says they are not venomous and legal to sell.
"There has been no written documentation that comes through here that says any snake has to be registered," said Bennett.
Shaver and Winningham were unaware of the city ordinance requiring a permit. They do not feel the snakes pose a danger to children.
Others disagree.
"It's a big snake. It's a Boa Constrictor for crying out loud," said Carisa Patching, who lives in a neighborhood where two large Boa Constrictors were confiscated.
The snakes were found in unlocked cages around a child. "The snake was big enough to eat one of the little kids."
Snake enthusiasts maintain they’re not as bad as they seem.
"My snakes never bit anybody. They were retired breeders. I’ve actually had trouble getting them to eat rodents because they didn’t want to kill them", said Winningham.
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