More on tiger bite

[Cruciform]

Bet dollars to donuts that all snakes and spiders will be banned as well.


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http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/London...16/500919.html

Boy improves but residents want tiger out


TEVIAH MORO, Free Press Reporter 2004-06-16 02:23:29

A 10-year-old Toronto boy who was attacked by a Siberian tiger Sunday was sitting up in his London hospital bed, his family said yesterday. "He continues to improve and today, he is sitting up in his bed and expressing concern about missing school," the boy's mother said in a written statement released yesterday by the London Health Sciences Centre.

The family wishes to remain anonymous, but thanks "everyone for their concern and well wishes," the statement read.

"This has been a terribly traumatic experience for all of us and our focus has been doing everything we can to help my son.

"I know we all have many challenges -- both physical and emotional -- in the days and weeks ahead, but I am just so grateful that my son is still with us."

The boy's condition was upgraded to serious from critical, LHSC said yesterday.

Elgin County OPP continued their investigation into Sunday's attack at businessperson Norm Buwalda's estate in Southwold Township, southwest of London.

"The investigation is still ongoing," OPP Const. Jennifer Wilks said.

Yesterday, the tiger's fate was unclear.

Buwalda, its owner, couldn't be reached for comment.

"I feel very sorry for the family and the boy for this happening," Southwold Mayor Jim McIntyre said.

Township council met Monday night with residents to give them a chance to air their concerns, McIntyre said.

Some residents want to see a bylaw passed to ban exotic pets in the township.

"We're hoping that in two months the bylaw will be in place," McIntyre said.

David Rawson, one of Buwalda's neighbours on Second Line in Southwold, attended the council meeting and criticized members for not acting sooner.

"The tragedy that we predicted could happen, did in fact happen," Rawson said yesterday from his dental clinic in London.

Rawson has been lobbying council to pass a bylaw prohibiting exotic animals in captivity in the township.

"The promise they made to us at an open meeting in January 2003 to enact a bylaw didn't get done, for no apparent reason," he said.

At Monday's meeting, Rawson said he warned council the case was no longer just a local issue -- but that the "whole country's watching."

The township has "dropped the ball" in its slow movement on a bylaw, he said.

McIntyre said he expects some opposition by Buwalda once the bylaw goes forward.

"We're expecting that," he said of a possible legal battle.

McIntyre said the Ontario government should take the lead by legislating rules on the ownership of exotic animals.

Township council will meet again Monday to discuss the bylaw, McIntyre said.

[meow_mix450]

stupid, hopefully there wont be banning of ALL exotics

Meow

[blazinreps]

Thats ridiculous i hate how the generalize things like that just sayin exotics. sure a rottweiller attacks a kid and they say lets stop sellin rottweillers a tiger does it and let stop selling exotics. its ridiculous.when was the last time u heard of a bearded dragon malling some one?

[Nicky]

well ban or no ban they can take my snakes over my dead body. Still they really should be more specific maybe all big cats i mean if they ban all extoicas that means parrots too dosen;t it i'm sure were all in danger from those killer parrots( although the have a decent nip) Why should we have to pay for someone elses stupid mistake if anything the owner should be in jail and the cat sent to a zoo rather than be put down as if i rember correctly theres not too many of them left so it could always be sent to a zoo and put in a breeding program or something. Dreading to see how this one turns out...
Kayla

[Cruciform]

Setting a wide scope on bans makes it cheaper for the politicians who create the by-law. Less research is required when you don't have to go into specifics.

If they're going to put a ban in place, I'd like to know what enforcement policy will be like.

I really don't like the restrictive policy of my city. But apparently you have to lose a limb before animal control will deal with you. If that means they'll leave my collection alone, great. But I'd still like to have some help amending the by-laws.

If they only enforce the bans against those owners with multiple complaints, or known husbandry issues, then it might actually be better for the community provided that the media covering the issue is unbiased, rather than sensationalistic. But bad news sells.

[meow_mix450]

Trust me if they were to ban all reptiles and exotic pets in Ontario, there will be the biggest protest. Lets just hope it doesnt come to that, just hope some idiot doesnt ruin it

Meow

[reptiguy123]

"he is sitting up in his bed and expressing concern about missing school"
Just reading this makes me sick. They're obviously changing things around here. Not for the better.

"The family wishes to remain anonymous"
Oh, I wonder why? First of all, the stupid parents let the kid near a wild animal. Secondly, they could cost a lot of herp owners their herps. I sure as hell wouldn't like my name out in public after that!

"Rawson has been lobbying council to pass a bylaw prohibiting exotic animals in captivity in the township."
No comment.


"Setting a wide scope on bans makes it cheaper for the politicians who create the by-law. Less research is required when you don't have to go into specifics."
I don't care how convenient it is for lawmakers to do their job. Maybe they should just take the effects under consideration? See what the people as a whole want for a change? Perhaps there is some petieion that they could all sign to keep certain exotic pets.

[Vengeance]

What township is this in? Might be worth showing up to a city hall meeting or something to give a voice to the herp community.