- Robeson County Commissioners strike down proposed ordinance that bans exotic animals.
Published by -NAWA News Feed- in - Animal Law - · Thursday 04 Nov 2021
A few weeks back we heard from USARK that Robeson county in North Carolina was going to consider a ban on owning any and all exotic animals in response to the spitting cobra incident in Raleigh over the summer.
Robeson county is situated in the southern part of North Carolina and has a population of about 130,000 in the whole county. When a request came out from USARK, NAWA and others to contact the county commissioners, many North Carolinians answered.
Just on our end from our email list, 90% of those emails came from our NAWA supporters in the state. And you had an impact! The county commissioners decided to redraft the ordinance and hear it at a later time instead of vote for an all out ban.
We were pleased to hear such a good response and learn that there was some turnout from licensed, experienced exotic animal owners. Victories, even if small, matter because it is a testament to the integrity of our community.
NAWA believes good animal welfare ideas and regulations entail grappling with dissonances and discrepancies arising from inconsistent or conflicting views (i.e., listening to all opinions). While good research certainly defies simple conceptualization, it is this process of constant reflection, open-mindedness, sharing of information, and interpretation of solid facts (not politics) that renders the animal welfare discussion process fluid, dynamic, and accurate in order for owners to make sound decisions related to any species that may be in their care.