In the News
"Animal bylaw must be updated"
( (c) 2005 The Guelph Mercury. All rights reserved. )
The owner of a 1.5-metre-long Asian water monitor seemed happy to have his pet back home Sunday night, even if the squirmy critter seemed just as anxious to get away again after a weekend on the lam.
But the escapee, and his apparent Godzilla-like penchant for adventure, have led to calls for a review of the city's exotic animal bylaw, one which has not been updated in its entirety since 1978.
It may not seem fair to quickly pass judgment on T-Rex, this weekend's carnivorous celebrity, but it seems there could have been serious consequences if he had encountered a human, possibly even a child, during his jaunt through the neighbourhood.
Even his owner admitted T-Rex would whip a child with his tail or bite a child's outstretched hand, and it is a bit concerning that police were warning residents in the Grange Street area to keep an eye on children and small animals while the lizard was still missing.
The escape has rightly led to a call from the Guelph Humane Society for a strengthening of the city's exotic animal bylaw, which is clearly less stringent than it should be.
While banning such obvious animals as alligators, crocodiles, grizzly bears and poisonous snakes, the council of the day seemed to forget about others, including giant lizards like Asian water monitors. It has been suggested that city councillors in 1978 never expected anyone to own such a creature, and it is expected that more amendments may be necessary in the future.
But for now, council should accept the suggestion of those at the Humane Society, who have expert knowledge on the matter, when they say an Asian water monitor -- an animal that could grow as long as two metres and weigh up to 70 kilograms -- should not be kept as a pet in the city.
Bylaws are always sticky policies. They may affect only a small number of people, who often feel singled-out and persecuted for their choices. A recent example is the city's pigeon bylaw, which prevents owners from letting their racing birds out for exercise, and which one owner said has caused his feathered friends to gain weight.
Public safety must always be considered when dealing with pets, especially those that are not domesticated and pose a potential danger to people.
But aside from any bylaw, pet owners must obey the most basic rules of ownership. Pets must not be trained in a manner that would make them dangerous, they must be fed, watered and cleaned and, perhaps most importantly in this case, they must be kept track of, to avoid any unfortunate situations.
We are glad T-Rex was found safe and sound, and did not cause himself or any person harm, but it is clear an Asian water monitor lizard does not belong on the streets of Guelph.