London Residents – Tell London City Council to reject “offer to settle” with Reptilia

LONDON RESIDENTS ONLY

An “offer to settle” with Reptilia is going to London City Council on April 2nd

Urge London City Council to reject the “offer to settle” and to proceed with its legal action against Reptilia

 

TIME IS RUNNING OUT – PLEASE ACT NOW

Urge London City Council members to reject any “offer to settle” with Reptilia

    1. Send an email saying THANK YOU to the nine London City Council members (listed below) who voted not proceed with amendments to London’s Animal Control By-Law PH3 in February 2023 and urge them to reject any “offer to settle” their legal action on April 2.


    2. Copy your email to councilagenda@london.ca (in subject line write: Re: City of London legal action against Reptilia offer– for April 2, 2024 Council meeting agenda)

    EMAIL THE FOLLOWING LONDON CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

    Mayor Josh Morgan, mayor@london.ca; Councillor Hadleigh McAlister, hmcalister@london.ca; Councillor Shawn Lewis, slewis@london.ca; Councillor Sam Trosow, strosow@london.ca;; Councillor Steve Lehman, slehman@london.ca; Councillor Anna Hopkins, ahopkins@london.ca; Councillor Skylar Frank, sfranke@london.ca; Councillor Elizabeth Peloza, epeloza@london.ca; Councillor David Ferreira, dferreira@london.ca

    LONDON CITY COUNCIL LIST (ALL MEMBERS) WITH PHONE NUMBERS

    SAMPLE EMAIL TEXT
    Note: It is more effective to write an email in your own words!

    TO: Mayor and Members of London City Council

    SUBJECT: “Offer to Settle” regarding City of London legal action against Reptilia zoo – April 2, 2024

    I understand you will be considering an “offer to settle” regarding London’s legal action against Reptilia at your April 2nd City Council meeting. I strongly oppose any kind of settlement and urge you to reject it. It makes no sense and it would be bad for animals, people and the City of London.

    Three times since Reptilia first approached the city in 2017, London City Council rejected bylaw amendments that would allow prohibited exotic wild animals, including dangerous species. In 2023, Reptilia brought them in anyway. That should not be allowed. Please continue the City’s legal action by rejecting the “offer to settle.”

    [YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER]

     

    BACKGROUND

    In 2018, 2022 & 2023 London City Council said NO to amending its bylaws so that Reptilia could keep prohibited exotic animals in the City. In 2021 Reptilia started construction of their reptile zoo and opened it to the public in April 2023. It featured many animals that are prohibited or restricted in the City.

    While making repeated attempts to obtain an exemption to London’s animal control bylaw to keep prohibited animals, Reptilia simultaneously claimed, and still do, that they didn’t need the exemption at all because they hold a provincial license for keeping native wildlife in captivity (such as garter snakes and snapping turtles). The provincial license has nothing to do with non-native exotic wildlife species whatsoever.

    After confirming that prohibited exotic animals were at the new Reptilia location, the City of London filed an application with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice seeking a declaration that Reptilia is not exempted from compliance with their animal control bylaw and an order restraining Reptilia from contravening the bylaw by keeping prohibited animals.

    A trial date was set for March 18, 2024 but, according to CTV news reporting, it lasted less than five minutes because the City lawyers asked for an adjournment (postponement) until April 12. CTV also said there had been an “offer to settle,” but no details were provided, except that the offer would be provided to London City Council on April 2nd.

    An “offer to settle” from either party should be alarming to anyone concerned about animals. If accepted, it means the arguments, evidence and facts of this situation won’t ever be deliberated in court and there will be no declaration that Reptilia is NOT exempted from the bylaw. And that means there would be no court order restraining Reptilia from keeping prohibited animals. Leaving it unresolved could see this issue drag on into the future. It could encourage other exotic animal businesses to use the provincial license argument to access the City and cause the waste of even more municipal time, energy and resources will continue.

    London’s Animal Control By-Law PH3, like most other animal control bylaws, exists to protect human health and safety, safeguard animal welfare, prevent nuisance issues and other purposes. Conceding to the requests of one small business simply because they want exotic animals they think will help their business undermines the purpose, integrity and effectiveness of the by-law.

    An “offer to settle” is a bad idea. Urge London City Council to reject a settlement.