Raleigh councilman calls for local ban on owning venomous snakes, other exotic animals

A week after a venomous snake was captured in a north Raleigh neighborhood after at least two days on the loose, a City Council member wants to crack down on residents owning such exotic animals.

Posted 10:02 p.m. Jul 6, 2021 — Updated 9:25 a.m. Jul 7, 2021

Keely Arthur

, WRAL reporter

RALEIGH, N.C. — A week after a venomous snake was captured in a north Raleigh neighborhood after at least two days on the loose, a City Council member wants to crack down on residents owning such exotic animals.

Police reported early on June 29 that a zebra cobra had been seen outside a home on Sandringham Drive, and they later determined it had escaped from a home on nearby Chamonix Place. After capturing the deadly cobra last Wednesday night with a glue trap, authorities removed multiple venomous reptiles from the Chamonix Place home.

During its brief time outside captivity, the zebra cobra inspired several Twitter accounts and T-shirts. But City Councilman David Knight didn't find any of it amusing.

On Tuesday, he called it "irresponsible, reckless and dangerous behavior."

"Some have made light of the zebra cobra issue, but it could’ve ended tragically, and I think we got to take this issue very seriously," Knight said during a City Council meeting.

He said he is working with Raleigh's legal staff to draft an ordinance that would prohibit private ownership of dangerous animals within the city. He plans to propose it soon after the City Council reconvenes in mid-August after summer break.

Wake County Board of Commissioners Chairman Matt Calabria said the county is looking at taking similar measures.

North Carolina is one of only three states that doesn't have a ban on exotic pet ownership. Owners must follow specific regulations, such as having the animal in a secure enclosure with warning labels.

The Wake County District Attorney's Office is still trying to determine whether the zebra cobra's owner violated any other state or local laws and should face criminal charges.

In other business, the City Council took the following actions:

Approved an ordinance to protect natural hair styles. Following in the steps of Durham and other municipalities, the council added the "CROWN Act," or Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, to Raleigh's nondiscrimination policies.

Raleigh resident Shemekka Ebony Stewart-Isaacs pushed for the local ordinance, saying it would prevent situations where Black Americans, particularly Black women, were told that their natural hair was not appropriate for school or the workplace.

“I'm really excited that Raleigh City Council has taken this step toward equity and inclusion from theory to practice by incorporating the CROWN Act to protect people like me that have natural hair,” Stewart-Isaacs told WRAL News. “No one should have to face discrimination whether in workplace policies or school grooming policies.”

Approved spending $2.3 million in federal pandemic relief money to support small businesses and nonprofits.
Authorized city staff to initiate a rezoning of the block east of Moore Square downtown for eventual redevelopment by the city, which will include affordable housing.
Accepted a report on ways to improve safety on Raleigh's greenways.
Heard a presentation about the city possibly partnering with Saint Augustine's University on a community garden and kitchen so nearby residents could learn to grow and cook fresh foods and improve their overall health.

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