Liz McCormick Published

List of Restricted Pets Revisited and Adjusted

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The state Department of Agriculture’s proposed list of restricted pets in West Virginia was revisited by members of the Legislative Rule Making Committee yesterday.

After intense criticism from the public and conflict between members of the Committee and the Department of Agriculture, Senator Herb Snyder proposed an amendment Monday removing a handful of animals from the list.

He told members of the committee his amendment’s intent was to bring the restricted list back to being about dangerous animals or invasive species that could cause environmental or physical harm to West Virginians, things like crayfish.

The committee also removed certain types of snakes from the restricted list, but West Virginians won’t be allowed to keep poisonous snakes like copperheads as pets.

West Virginians who already own animals that may soon be on the restricted list must get a permit to keep their pet.

The new rule will go before the full Legislature in January for approval before it takes effect.