Opinion Sought on Exotic Pets

BY TOM EMBREY: STAFF WRITER

An attorney for Moore County will determine the fate of six large, exotic reptiles being kept at a home in Jackson Springs.

Last week, Al Carter, director of the Moore County Animal Center, requested a ruling from a herpetologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission to determine if any of six reptiles owned by Dan Waitt are dangerous to humans.

The case was referred to county attorney Brenda White Tuesday after Carter received a less-than-definitive response via e-mail from the herpetologist Friday. The response stated that the reptiles could be potentially dangerous if they were not taken care of or housed properly.

"That is still too ambiguous for me," Carter said.

owns three lizards -- an Asian water monitor, a Savannah monitor and an iguana -- and three snakes -- a 16-foot Burmese python and two red-tailed boa constrictors, which can measure 10 feet in length when full grown. The iguana is 3 feet long. The other lizards and both boas are 5 feet in length.

"If they are considered dangerous, then we can enforce the code, and we will work with the owner to remove the animals," Carter said. "We really want to help this guy and get it resolved, but I am not going to do anything without some good advice."

The ruling was requested because there is no state statute defining dangerous animals, and the county code indicates that only animals deemed dangerous to the public are prohibited.

The Pilot was unable to reach Waitt for comment.

Animal control recently became aware of the reptiles when an officer was called out to the 200 block of Richardson Lane to remove a large lizard that was outside the home Jim Garrett, who lives next door to Waitt on Richardson Lane. Garrett called animal control. The escaped water monitor was captured and later returned to Waitt.

Garrett called the reptile "an extremely dangerous lizard," and said the incident frightened his wife.

"My wife won't go outside," Garrett said.

Garrett said he has a continuing dispute with Waitt over use of a well, and that litigation is pending.

Alvin Braswell, the curator for herpetology at the North Carolina Museum for Natural Sciences, said the reptiles do not pose a threat. Braswell's opinion is not binding. However, he and other museum staff are sometimes consulted about the safety risk of exotic animals kept as pets.

"They (lizards) are dangerous only you grab it by the tail and it tries to defended itself." Braswell said.

Braswell said a person is more likely to be injured by a large dog, a horse or other large farm animal.

"They (reptiles) are not nearly as dangerous as some of the things that we keep as domestic pets," Braswell said. "There are a whole range of critters that are capable and do injure people."

According to the Web site PetReptiles.com, water monitors are black with yellow spots. They grow to an average length of 7 feet. They are native to Asia.

The Savannah monitor is brown with white spots. It is native to Africa and grows to an average length of about 3 feet.

Monitors and snakes are carnivores, but Braswell said small pets are in little or no danger if the reptiles are cared for and housed properly.

"You are probably more likely to have trouble with our native hawks and owls," Braswell said.

Exotic animals often need special living conditions and eat special diets. Braswell said the most common problems regarding exotic animals result when owners don't use common sense and properly care for them.

Braswell urged those who are considering buying an exotic animal, such as a monitor, for a pet to do their homework and not buy impulsively.

"When they grow up, they are much different animals with different capabilities," he said.

Contact Tom Embrey at 693-2473 or by e-mail at tembrey@thepilot.com.