Richland Center WI ordinance

Richland Center WI Alert: On Tuesday, May 21st at 5 pm, the Richland Center Wisconsin Public Safety board will hold discussion on an exotic animal ordinance, which could potentially outlaw most reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Please take 2 minutes of your time to contact Judy Shireman, head of the Public Safety committee to express your concerns, but be respectful and polite in all discourse. Below is a sample letter that can be copied, pasted, and preferably tailored via email.

Judy Shireman, Alderperson
P: 608-647-4652
E: judy.shireman@richlandcenter.com

To the Richland Center Public Safety board,
Soon you will be discussing an ordinance prohibiting or regulating the Possession or Sale of Live Exotic Animals.
While it is commendable to see your concern for public health and safety, I must urge you to OPPOSE an ordinance transcribed from the cities of Baraboo or Portage. These ordinances, as they are currently written, will have a tremendously negative impact on me, my family, and many of my friends, and are far too over reaching, poorly written, and prohibitive in regards to reptiles and many other exotic or nontraditional pets. Overall these ordinances will fail to achieve their desired goals and are fraught with unintended consequences.
Statistically and historically, no captive reptiles have EVER been implicated in any human fatalities or serious injuries in the history of Richland Center Wisconsin. There is no measurable public safety risk associated with keeping of captive reptiles in Richland Center. This is despite the fact that reptiles are among the fastest growing segments of the pet industry with anywhere from 45-50 million or more in the United States , nationwide, reptiles collectively account for an average of less than one death per year. This is a drastic contrast to the average number of people killed or seriously injured by dogs (~35 deaths per year), horses, livestock animals (over 200 related deaths per year), and other more widely accepted pets for which we accept the risks of keeping.
While you may wish to create legislation protecting the public and the environment, this measure is far too overreaching. The majority of reptiles not indigenous to Wisconsin are tropical animals that cannot survive a Wisconsin winter. Numerous published papers and respected herpetologists indicate that pythons and boas are a localized issue unique to south Florida, and thus do not present any potential risk of establishment anywhere else in the U.S. I am sure that members of the reptile, and exotic pet community, of whom there are many, would be willing to assist in writing fair and just regulations allowing responsible ownership and leaving a way to punish those that do not care about their community. Over-regulating or outlawing harmless pets lacks common sense. Reaching out to the pet industry, herpetological community, the rescue community and other affected stakeholders would greatly benefit in drafting far better regulations.
I believe any legislation governing these animals needs to be based on reason, facts, and real statistical data rather than fears or knee jerk reactions to perceived problems. This measure will only penalize many conscientious, responsible, and law abiding citizens and small businesses of Richland Center and throughout Wisconsin. The reptile sector of the pet industry alone represents $20 million annually in commerce and revenue in Wisconsin. It is simply a bad idea to kill even more jobs and economic growth in this economy.
Please Oppose these ordinances. There is no reason for them and it will place hardship on so many lives.

Sincerely,

Thanks for the post, I hope this doesn't go through.

I can't verify the authenticity of this, but it has held true for ever city I have looked into and may be helpful for other Wisconsinites: http://www.specialtyserpents.com/WHAInfo/WIHerpLaws.pdf

Richland Center WI Update: On 05/21/13, the Richland Center board of Public Safety discussed a proposed exotic animal ordinance. The City Attorney has made numerous objectionable recommendations as far as a list of animals to be included. Recommendations made include limiting any constrictor snakes, or any other non indigenous snakes over 4 feet except ball pythons, all venomous reptilia (including Helodermatidae) and crocodilians, all venomous or poisonous insects and arachnids, and any lizards over 1 foot. The City attorney has expressed that he wishes not to make any more substantial changes at this point, and is leaving the ordinance up to the committees to decide upon. We will need to continue to contact members of the committee to strongly OPPOSE this ordinance.


Lorna Dilley, Alderperson
P: 608-647-6899
E: lorna.dilley@richlandcenter.com
Dawn Elliott, Alderperson
P: 608-444-4423
E: dawn.elliott@richlandcenter.com
Judy Shireman, Alderperson
P: 608-647-4652
E: judy.shireman@richlandcenter.com
Shire5@mwt.net
Marsha Machotka, Alderperson
P: 608-647-6589
E: marsha.machotka@richlandcenter.com
Jay Buchanan Mueller, Alderperson
P: 608-647-3169
E: jay.mueller@richlandcenter.com
Jay Buchanan Mueller, Alderperson
P: 608-647-3169
E: jay.mueller@richlandcenter.com
Susan Fruit, Alderperson
P: 608-604-4804
E: susan.fruit@richlandcenter.com
Marie Rakow, Alderperson
P: 608-647-4801
marie.rakow@richlandcenter.com