Dangerous animal list shorter; lawmakers, governor to get final say

The final list of species which will become part of a proposed ban on ownership of dangerous wild animals in West Virginia has been whittled down and is ready to go to state lawmakers. During last week’s legislative interim committee meetings a number of sets of animals were removed.

Lawmakers eliminated Savanna cats, flying foxes, fruit bats, mongoose, meek rat, European hares, wild dogs, raccoon dogs, and all constrictor snakes like pythons and anacondas. The working body also carved out several birds like the Quaker parakeet, some species of crayfish, snails, and mollusks.

“The list as it stands now, aside from some of the constrictor snakes, is where we wanted to take the list,” said Chris Ferro, chief of Staff in the state Department of Agriculture. “We wanted to hit the big-name animals that do pose a danger like the lions, tigers, and bear type animals.”

The legislation was born out of a disaster in neighboring Ohio when a facility selling exotic species had an escape and law enforcement was forced onto an unintended safari to shoot numerous dangerous animals roaming in the populated areas. Ferro said the Department of Agriculture is satisfied, but believes other agencies saw the list as a way to address invasive species in streams and rivers. He said those may have to be addressed in another piece of legislation.

The measure now goes to the legislature and could be approved as is when the session starts in January or lawmakers could reopen the bill and add or take items away. The legislation requires an annual meeting of the Dangerous Animal Board which consists of representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Division of Natural Resources, and the Bureau of Public Health. They carry the power to review and add to or eliminate from any animal list.