At approximately 2:00 pm on Monday January 11,2016, Animal Control showed up at my house asking how many pets I had. I informed the officer that I had 3 cats, 2 snakes, and a dog. She then asked what kind of snakes and I told her pythons. She immediately told me I could not have them, when I asked her why, she said they are illegal. I explained to her that I have had both of them for approximately five years. She asked to see them, I cooperated and allowed her into my home, my sanctuary.

Both of my snakes are kept securely locked in their tanks with no way of escaping and have never even tried to escape. Draco, my car-ball python, we keep on a table in our living room. I showed her his tank is securely fastened with metal clamps on each side and assured her that he both is non aggressive, and that he cannot get out of his tank nor do we let him out when guests are in our home, which is rare. Then, she wanted to see my other snake, a ball python we named Zagan, so I went to get him out of his enclosure to show her. I brought him in the living room where she was playing with my dog, a lab/pit mix, that she then told me I could not have either. I find that odd with the way she was acting with my dog and talking about how loving she was and how she had or a family member had a dog just like her and as lovable as Greta, my dog. When she saw me enter the living room she began to say how sorry she was, and I had one week to find a home for my three pets, and that she would be back to make sure they were all gone and that if I didn’t answer she would get a warrant and come check despite any previous cooperation. This, I perceived as a threat.

I suffer from multiple illnesses such as severe depression, PTSD, anxiety, agoraphobia, the fear of leaving my home, and occasional seizures. I have had Zagan since he was a hatchling, and he has helped me through all of these illnesses. When I feel a seizure coming on I would pick up Zagan and the sensation would go away, he has prevented me from having seizures. My anxiety and depression have also been a major issue, he has helped me just because I was able to hold him. I know reptiles, specifically snakes, don’t feel emotions, but it’s almost as if he can sense that I need help and he will calm me just by curling up on my shoulder or by my face. When I wake up shaking so much that I feel sick and cannot go back to sleep from my night terrors due my PTSD, I would hold him and calm down within minutes, compared to how long it would take otherwise. Zagan, as much as my other pets, are my anchors. They give me peace when I feel as if my world is crumbling down. Taking him away is not only torture on me but him as well.

Stories like mine are the reason why there shouldn’t be a ban on which pets we can and cannot have. Where we live shouldn’t depict which animals we can and cannot give shelter to and love unconditionally. The state of Iowa claims to be a free state; the city of Council Bluffs shares this claim due to being located in Iowa, but it in fact is not. Sadly, neither are most places with this claim. No matter where you go there will be restrictions, but those restrictions shouldn’t be bans, they should be exactly what they claim to be; restrictions.

Instead of placing a ban on smaller species of reptiles, it should be limited to how many per home, or limited to only exclude the larger species such as reticulated and Burmese pythons, anacondas, and true boa constrictors (bcc). A responsible reptile owner would be able to inform you on nearly all the facts for housing their pets. Perhaps have a required class and permit for the currently banned reptiles. The class could be for those 18 years and up and easy to enroll into having the only exclusion for those with a history of animal abuse.

Reptiles are hypoallergenic, relatively easy to care for, and, for most species of snakes, only need fed once a week. Even though some of them can be temperamental, they make great pets and lovely additions to the family. They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns and, for the more common morphs, can be found within minutes. Taking a pet away from its home is like a child away from its parents. It’s heartbreaking, nobody wants to deal with the aftermath and the trauma that trails behind it. You wouldn’t take a well cared for child away from his/her parents, why do it with an animal. For some people, those creatures most view as just pets, are their child. That is their baby you’re taking. Imagine the crushing feeling inside, imagine the gut wrenching feeling in that person’s stomach when you tell them that quite possibly the only thing they hold dear and look forward to when coming home from a long day is getting taken away from them, indirectly or not.