By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Just like dogs and cats, Hays residents may soon be able to keep non-venomous pet constrictor snakes longer than six feet, if the owner follows city regulations regarding annual pet registrations.
Unlike dogs and cats however, those pet constrictor snakes would also be required to be microchipped for proper identification, if necessary.
Current city code already allows the keeping of non-venomous snakes up to six feet in length, according to Toby Dougherty, city manager.
City Commissioner Reese Barrick asked for the modifications to the animal code. Barrick is executive director of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, and a snake supporter.
Barrick asked for a complete review of the animal code which hasn't been updated in several years.
Alligator ownership would be completely eliminated in the update, although current city code allows pet alligators up to 30 inches in length as well as snakes up to 6 feet long.
Barrick said both types of animals will grow bigger than what is specified and the current city policy is essentially "condemning a pet to death."
"Alligators are going to get longer than 30 inches after two years. ... It makes no sense to allow them, period," Barrick said during Thursday night's commission work session.
He said it's the "same thing with constrictor snakes. If you get one that's 2 feet long, it make take 10 years, but it's going to get over 6 feet long.
"You're putting the onus on museums or zoos to take a whole bunch of snakes, or they're all going to get killed."
"If a person wants to keep a snake that is 8 feet long, that's fine, that's their business. But we should know who has snakes that are that big and we should be able to keep track of them should they escape.
"If a person just dumps the snake, we'll know who had it, know where it is, and they have to take responsibility for that."
Barrick said Sternberg Museum now has a large boa constrictor snake that came from La Crosse.
"A person had an 8-foot boa and it is not allowed by city code. So (the city) said 'we're going to come there and kill it unless you can find a place that will take it.' So we at the museum took that snake."
Barrick said a lot of people purchase boa snakes at pet stores "and they're going to get big. I think it's more responsible to keep track of them."
He also noted Sternberg has accepted alligators when the pet owners could no longer keep them.
Commissioner Sandy Jacobs said she has no problem with Reese's suggestion.
"I think it's responsible since we're already allowing up to 6-foot snakes. I don't wanna be out there killing snakes," she said.
"I'm like Indiana Jones when it comes to snakes," said Mayor Mason Ruder, "but I understand where you're coming from. I'm okay knowing somebody has one."
Dougherty told commissioners city animal control officers carry the equipment in their truck to scan microchips and most of the local vets are able to microchip animals, including snakes. "It's pretty ubiquitous technology."
Pet microchips have an expiration date. Barrick said snake owners would be required to keep their pets' microchips updated in order to annually register the animals.
"Snakes might live up to 30 years," he pointed out.
The suggested cost to register a constrictor snake is $5, the same amount the city charges for a neutered or spayed dog or cat. Although recommended, Hays does not require mandatory microchipping of pet dogs or cats.
The other major proposed change to the current animal code would eliminate the fines table and allow the municipal court judge to determine the fine for violation of an ordinance.
Dougherty said that's common practice and in line with how most fine schedules are handed for other city of Hays code violations.
The commission will consider approving the animal code updates at a future meeting.