USARK Alert: Arlington County, VA

[bcr229]

ACTION ALERT: Arlington County, Virginia

By USARK on February 26, 2017
This is a broadly sweeping and far overreaching proposal! It will outright ban the future ownership of many very commonly kept species and includes vague language which could be interpreted to include all species except dogs, cats, fish and birds.
The quick details:

1. Current owners will have only 60 days from the effective date to either register or "dispose of" each animal, and would thereafter be required to obtain annual permit for each animal kept. The addition of future animals would be banned (meaning you could not get a pet hedgehog or corn snake next year).
2. BANNED: Snakes exceeding four (4) feet in length;
3. BANNED: the following list of “wild or exotic animals” would be banned: hedgehog, sugar glider, all non-human primates, raccoon, skunk, wolf and wolf hybrids, coyote, squirrel, fox, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, bear, small wild cats including hybrids (meaning all but domestic cat, Felis catus), all crocodilians
4. BANNED: any other warm-blooded animal, poisonous snake or reptile or tarantula that can normally be found in the wild state (This is the vague language mentioned.)
5. BANNED: breeding of all above species.
6. All movement of registered animals (within and out of County) must be reported to the Animal Control Agency;
7. Deaths/euthanizations of animals must be reported
8. Failure to register may result in "seizure or disposal of the animal at cost to the owner;"
9. First-time penalty is Class 4 misdemeanor and fine up to $250 (per day). Second penalty is Class 3 misdemeanor and fine up to $500 (per day).

Full info and contact info for the Arlington Board at:http://usark.org/2017-action-alerts/...unty-virginia/