People who wish to keep wild animals and restricted snakes that they have registered with the state may now apply to the Ohio Department of Agriculture for permits to continue ownership past this year.
Applications for the permits, required under a law approved last year, can be submitted until Dec. 31, 2013. But after that, owners will be required to surrender their animals to the state, or identify an alternate home for them.
The new law was enacted in response to the release of dozens of wild animals in October 2011 by a Muskingum County man before he committed suicide.
Owners of dangerous wild animals were required last year to register their animals with the state as the first step in obtaining a permit to keep them. The permitting process will be complete by year’s end.
After Jan. 1, 2014, it will be illegal to keep an existing dangerous wild animal or a restricted snake without a permit. Since Sept. 5, only certain exempted facilities or authorized rescue facilities have been permitted to acquire new dangerous wild animals.
Among the animals classified as dangerous wild animals are: alligators and crocodiles, bears, elephants, lions, certain monkeys, rhinos and tigers. Restricted snakes include those that are venomous and anacondas and pythons that are 12 feet long or longer.
You can find complete details, including a list of all restricted animals and snakes at the Department of Agriculture website.
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