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Covington Ban - Please Help!
Updates:
July 23-
July 22-
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City Attorney Fossett stated, at the July 22 Commissioners meeting, that there was a "misunderstanding" about the definition of Domesticated
Companion Animal which is "an animal that has traditionally, through a long association with humans, lived in a state of dependence upon humans
or has been traditionally kept as a household pet, including but not limited to: dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, mice, rabbits,
parakeets, parrots, cockatiels, cockatoos, canaries, love birds, finches and tropical fish." He also made a point to mention that it was not
their intention to ban rabbits, hamsters, fish, and pet mice.
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Commissioner Edmondson made it a point to say that rats, yes rats, were OK. He even stated that, in case anyone (at the Commissioner's meeting)
was confused about the rat thing that there are a LOT of rat people out there, that they've been domesticated for a really really long long long time,
and that they had enough letters to prove it from rat people around the world if nobody believed him -- even one from Switzerland (Mel, Cindy? Do
you know anything about this?) He also made some quip about Fossett in a rat costume.
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Commissioner Bamberger made it a point to tell Fossett to have this updated on their web
page as soon as possible (poor guy really did sound desperate!)
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They'll be voting on this re-re-revision the second week of August.
July 6-
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A friend received a letter from Commissioner Bohman stating that "Our attorney is already working on changes."
No mention of rats/mice (still). Since it's now in the hands of the attorney, perhaps explanations regarding the difference between rats &
mice and Gambian Pouched Rats would help him with the task of rewording...
July 5-
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Received letter from Attorney Fossett stating that "the intent of the ordinance was not to exclude domesticated animals such as rabbits, guinea
pigs, and hamsters. Because of the confusion that this ordinance has caused regarding the possession of these types of animals, the City
Commission intends to clarify the definitions of exotic and wild animals at its next meeting.
The intent of the ordinance is to prohibit those
wild and exotic animals which should not be living in an urban environment, not to prohibit companion animals."
Unfortunately, once again,
mice
and rats were avoided: Do they fall into Covington's "like rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters" category or do they fall into Covington's "wild and
exotic animals which should not be living in an urban environment" category?
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Another individual received a letter from Attorney Fossett which is vaguely amusing: "The media seems to have misinterpreted the intent of the
legislation recently passed by the Covington City Commission. The legislation was not intended to prohibit domesticated companion animals such as
guinea pigs, rabbits, and hamsters. In fact, the City Commission intends to clarify the definition of wild and exotic animals in the very near
future to make sure that these types of animals will continue to be permitted in our city."
Point 1: Rats and Mice are still omitted, why?
Point 2: How does one misinterpret direct quotes (Fossett himself was quoted as saying "Mice we're looking at still.")?
July 1-
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Received letter from Mayor Callery stating that they will "be amending our ordinance concerning many domestic animals at our July 22, 2003
Commission meeting."
Unfortunately no specific mention of rats, mice, or anything else, for that matter, was made.
June 28-
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Progress and Updates
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