Iberville Ordinance

Revised Ordinance by The Iberville Parish Council 3.19.2009

A 1993 Iberville Parish ordinance prohibited wild or exotic animals to be displayed or kept as pets. This ordinance was never enforced and on March 17, 2009 The Iberville Parish council voted to amend the ordinance to allow Michael Sandlin to keep a tiger “on display.” You can view the amended ordinance below:

Iberville Ordinance Revised

Original Ordinance by The Iberville Parish Council from 1993

The following is the Iberville Parish Original Ordinance from 1993 regarding “The Keeping Of Wild, Exotic, Vicious Animals And Reptiles.”

ARTICLE V. KEEPING OF WILD, EXOTIC, VICIOUS ANIMALS AND REPTILES

Sec. 3-91. Display of wild or exotic animals prohibited.
No person shall keep or permit to be kept on his premises any wild, exotic, vicious animal or reptile for display or for exhibition purposes whether gratuitously or for a fee. This section shall not apply to zoological parks, performing animal exhibitions, circuses or veterinary clinics.
(Ord. of 4-20-93)

Sec. 3-92. Wild or exotic animals as pets prohibited.
No person shall keep or permit to be kept any wild, exotic, vicious animal, or reptile as a pet without having first obtained a license from the animal control shelter.
(Ord. of 4-20-93)

Sec. 3-93. Posting of notices.
Any person who offers for sale a wild or exotic animal as defined above in section 3-1, definitions shall post conspicuously at the place of sale or display the following notice:
“No person may lawfully keep or permit to be kept in the Parish of Iberville, any live monkey (nonhuman primate), raccoon, skunk, wolf, squirrel, fox, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx, or any other warm-blooded animal, poisonous snake, tarantula, crocodile or alligator which can normally be found in the wild state.”
(Ord. of 4-20-93)

Sec. 3-94. License for wild animals.
(a) The animal control director may issue a temporary license for the keeping, care and protection of injured wild animals or infant wild animals or infant wild animals native to this area which have been deemed to be incapable of surviving without assistance.
(b) Any person wishing to house a wild, exotic animal or reptile as a pet must demonstrate knowledge of the proper care for the animal or reptile involved and must have facilities for their care inspected by the animal control director. It shall be the responsibility of the director to issue or deny a license following the inspection.
(c) Any denials will be explained in writing to the owner.
Any person aggrieved by a decision of the director may appeal such decision to the police jury and district court as provided in Chapter III, Livestock.
(Ord. of 4-20-93)

Sec. 3-95. Release of wild animals.
The animal control director shall have the authority to release or order the release of any wild animal or reptile kept under temporary license which is deemed capable of survival.
(Ord. of 4-20-93)

Sec. 3-96. Disposition and impoundment.
Any person who keeps a wild, exotic or vicious animal in contravention of this chapter may dispose of the animal or reptile by removal of the animal or reptile from the parish, by giving or selling the animal or reptile to a zoological park or by releasing the animal or reptile to the wild, to a zoological park, or to a responsible adult who shall remove the animal or reptile from the parish, or dispose of the animal or reptile in some humane manner. The director of the animal control shelter is authorized to release the animal or reptile to any licensed institution for research purposes.
(Ord. of 4-20-93)