Man Gets $190 Fine For Snake Without Leash
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP/KDKA) - A man who was fined $190 for allowing his pet snake to slither freely in a South Dakota park says he's disturbed by an animal control officer's suggestion that he restrain the reptile on a leash while in public.
The Argus Leader reports that Jerry Kimball was ticketed for "animals running at large" last week after a woman complained that his Fire Bee Ball Python was roaming freely at Falls Park in Sioux Falls.
"He was literally asking me to put a rope around my snake," said Kimball, who posted a photo of his ticket on Facebook. "I was like 'dude, no.' I was dumbfounded."
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
Animal Control Supervisor Julie DeJong says a city ordinance requires all pets to be leashed or restrained in public and that pet snakes can be held or kept in a container to comply.
Kimball says he plans to fight the ticket in court.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)